Swainsona maccullochiana F.Muell.
Ashburton Pea

Scientific Description

Erect, herb. Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, compound, alternate, not continuous with stem, 95-320 mm long, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent, leaflets 15-23, pinnately arranged, terminal leaflet present, stalked; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves, 10-11.5 mm long, without glands, ribless. Pedicel present, 4-6 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present and persistent, 2-2.5 mm long, hairy, not striate. Calyx 9-14.5 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 25-32 mm long, multicoloured, mostly pink, red, purple or blue, with some pink, red, purple or blue spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 24-30 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 16-28 mm long, auriculate, keel 25-32 mm long, not beaked, auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 1.2-1.9 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments united in an open sheath with one free stamen, 16-26 mm long. Ovary stipitate, hairy or glandular; style 20-34.5 mm long, hairy or glandular towards the base, bearded (with a tuft of hairs at apex), terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 30-35 mm long, 9-12 mm wide, stipitate, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, hairy, with simple hairs. Flowers in July, August, September and October. Occurs in the Eremaean Botanical Province, in the Pilbara and Gascoyne IBRA regions.