Mirbelia granitica Crisp & J.M.Taylor

Scientific Description

Erect, shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like). Stems terete, spiny at least in part, glabrous; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades absent or apparently so (reduced to scales), simple, opposite, not continuous with stem, 2-6 mm long, 0.5-1 mm wide, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with incurved margins (conduplicate); margins entire; tubercles absent; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present but early deciduous ( only visible on youngest leaves ). Pedicel present, 1.2-1.5 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present and persistent. Calyx 3-4 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 7.5-8.2 mm long, multicoloured, mostly yellow or red, with some yellow or red spots, streaks or blotches; claws absent; standard 5.5 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 7.5 mm long, not auriculate, keel 5-5.5 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 0.3-0.4 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments free (or united at the very base), 3.4-5.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous; style 3.5-4.5 mm long glabrous, not bearded, terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 8-10 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, stipitate, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, glabrous, not beaked. Flowers in August, September and December. Occurs in the Eremaean and South-West Botanical Province, in the Murchison, Coolgardie, Avon Wheatbelt and Mallee IBRA regions.