Indigofera australis Willd.
Australian Indigo

Scientific Description

Erect, shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like). Stems terete, not spiny, glabrous; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, compound, alternate, not continuous with stem, 25-75 mm long, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with recurved margins; margins entire; tubercles absent, leaflets 17-25, pinnately arranged, terminal leaflet present, stalked; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves. Pedicel present, 2.8-3.5 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present but early deciduous. Calyx 3-3.4 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 7.5-8.5 mm long, multicoloured, mostly pink, red or purple, with some pink, red or purple spots, streaks or blotches; claws absent; standard 6.7-8 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 6.5-7.5 mm long, not auriculate, keel 4.5-8 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 0.6 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments united in an open sheath with one free stamen, 3-4.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous; style 5.2-5.5 mm long glabrous, not bearded, terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 20-25 mm long, 1.7-2.5 mm wide, sessile or subsessile, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, glabrous, not beaked. Flowers in July, August and September. Occurs in the Eremaean and South-West Botanical Province, in the Central Ranges, Coolgardie, Geraldton Sandplains, Avon Wheatbelt, Mallee and Esperance IBRA regions.