Scorpiurus muricatus L. APNI*
Description: Herbs, 30–80 cm high, stems ribbed, glabrous or sparsely hairy
Leaves 3–10 cm long; lamina ± oblanceolate to elliptic, 2–6 cm long, 5–20 mm wide, apex ± acute, base tapering into petiole, margins entire, glabrous or almost so; petiole almost as long as lamina, 1.5–5 cm long.
Inflorescences usually 2–6-flowered; peduncles 4–20 cm long. Flowers yellow, 5–10 mm long.
Pods 1.5–4 cm long, c. 2 mm wide, strongly coiled, ribs covered with ± pointed spines at least half as long as the breadth of the fruit, fawnish with ribs and spines becoming dark brown.
Flowering: Flowers summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Cultivated as a fodder plant, sometimes persists for long periods; occasionally naturalized in the Bribbaree district (NW Young). Native of Eur.
NSW subdivisions: *CWS
Other Australian states: *Qld
Text by G.J. Harden Taxon concept:
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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