Hovea elliptica (Sm.) DC.
Tree Hovea

Scientific Description

Erect, shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like). Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, simple, alternate, not continuous with stem, 30-100 mm long, 6-35 mm wide, glabrous, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent; pustules or glands absent. Stipules apparently absent even from the youngest leaves or present and persistent to older leaves. Pedicel present, 6-6.5 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present and persistent, 1.5-2 mm long, hairy, not striate. Calyx 5-6.5 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 11-17 mm long, multicoloured, mostly purple or blue, with some purple or blue spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 10.2-15 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 8-11 mm long, not auriculate, keel 7.2-8.5 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 0.5-0.8 mm long, all at the same level (filaments all the same loength) or at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments united in an open sheath with one free stamen, 5-6.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous; style 7.5-8 mm long glabrous, not bearded, terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 8-12 mm long, 6-7 mm wide, stipitate or sessile or subsessile, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, glabrous, not beaked. Flowers in August, September, October, November and December. Occurs in the South-West Botanical Province, in the Avon Wheatbelt, Jarrah Forest, Warren, Esperance and Swan Coastal Plain IBRA regions.