Citation: R. Br. in W.T. Aiton, Hort. Kew. edn 2, 4:268 (1812).

Synonymy: B. cordifolia Sweet, Fl. Aust. t.20 (1827); B. tenuicaulis Graham, Edinb. N. Phil. Journ. 29:171 (1840). , Bossiaea cinerea

Common name: Showy bossiaea.

Description:
Erect or spreading 30-100 cm high shrub; branches straggling, terete, rarely slightly angular, pubescent or villous; leaves alternate, almost sessile, ovate-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 6-20 x 3-8 mm, wide at the base, almost cordate, tapered towards the apex, with revolute margins; upper surface glabrous, scabrous or pubescent, lower pubescent, with the conspicuous midrib ending in a pungent point; stipules lanceolate-acuminate, 1-2 mm long, recurved, leathery, brown, with white hairs.

Flowers solitary, axillary, 9-12 mm long, on slender pedicels shorter than the leaves, numerous and conspicuous along the small branches; bracts ovate, c. 0.5 mm long, brown, sericeous; bracteoles clasping the pedicel, wide-ovate, c. 0.5 mm wide, brown, leathery, white-pubescent; calyx campanulate, c. 5 mm long, reddish-brown, glabrous outside, white-short-tomentose inside, 2 upper teeth very broad and rounded, lower 3 very small; standard more than twice as long as the calyx, broadly reniform, yellow streaked with brownish-purple; wings and keel shorter, brownish-purple or red; ovary on a short gynophore, with 4-6 ovules.

Pod on a stalk as long as the calyx, 12-20 x 6-8 mm, glabrous.

Published illustration: Cochrane et al. (1968) Flowers and plants of Victoria, fig. 49.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: SE.   N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Aug. — Sept.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available