Bossiaea divaricata
| Bossiaea divaricata | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Bossiaea |
| Species: | B. divaricata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Bossiaea divaricata | |
Bossiaea divaricata is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a low, dense, openly-branched shrub with oblong to egg-shaped leaves and deep yellow and dark red flowers.
Description[edit]
Bossiaea divaricata is a dense, rigid, openly-branched shrub that typically grows up to 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) high and 1 m (3 ft 3 in) wide, the short side branches ending in a sharp point. The leaves are arranged alternately, oblong to narrow egg-shaped, 8–18 mm (0.31–0.71 in) long and 2.5–6 mm (0.098–0.236 in) wide on a petiole 0.3–0.6 mm (0.012–0.024 in) long with egg-shaped stipules 2–4.5 mm (0.079–0.177 in) long at the base. The edges of the leaves curve downwards and the lower surface is hairy. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils, each flower on a pedicel 2.5–4.0 mm (0.098–0.157 in) long with overlapping egg-shaped bracts up to 3 mm (0.12 in) long attached. The five sepals are joined at the base with lobes 2.3–3.7 mm (0.091–0.146 in) long. There are bracteoles 2.8–3.5 mm (0.11–0.14 in) long at the base of the sepal tube. The standard petal is deep yellow with a reddish base and 8–11 mm (0.31–0.43 in) long, the wings pink to red with a yellow tip and 7.0–9.5 mm (0.28–0.37 in) long, the keel dark red with a pinkish base and 7.4–9.5 mm (0.29–0.37 in) long. The fruit is a dark brown pod 11–20 mm (0.43–0.79 in) long.[2][3]
Taxonomy and naming[edit]
Bossiaea divaricata was first formally described in 1853 by Nikolai Turczaninow in the Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou.[4][5] The specific epithet (divaricata) means "widely spreading", referring to the branching habit.[6]
Distribution and habitat[edit]
This bossiaea grows in mallee and woodland in disturbed sites in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions of south-western Western Australia.[2][3]
Conservation status[edit]
Bossiaea divaricata is classified as "Priority Four" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife,[2] meaning that is rare or near threatened.[7]
References[edit]
- ^ "Bossiaea divaricata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ a b c "Bossiaea divaricata". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ a b Ross, James H. (2006). "A conspectus of the Western Australian Bossiaea species (Bossiaeeae: Fabaceae)". Muelleria. 23: 59–60. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ Turczaninow, Nikolai (1853). "Bossiaea divaricata". Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou. 26 (1): 285. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ "Bossiaea divaricata". APNI. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 185. ISBN 9780958034180.
- ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 22 July 2021.