Swainsona colutoides F.Muell.
Bladder Vetch

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, 60-160 mm long, glabrous, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent, leaflets 9-19, pinnately arranged, terminal leaflet present, stalked; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves. Pedicel present, 2-4.5 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present and persistent. Calyx 5-6 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 15-24 mm long, uniformly coloured, purple; claws present; standard 11-23 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 9-16 mm long, not auriculate, keel 14-24 mm long, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 1.4 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments united in an open sheath with one free stamen, 10-20 mm long. Ovary stipitate, hairy or glandular; style 14-27 mm long, hairy or glandular towards the base, bearded (with a tuft of hairs at apex), flattened at apex. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 30-40 mm long, 12-15 mm wide, stipitate, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, glabrous, not beaked. Flowers in April, June, August, September, October, November and December. Occurs in the Eremaean and South-West Botanical Province, in the Murchison, Coolgardie, Avon Wheatbelt and Mallee IBRA regions.