Common name: Common Poison Pea
Swainsona affinis (A.T.Lee) Joy Thomps. APNI* Synonyms: Swainsona microphylla subsp. affinis A.T.Lee APNI* Swainsona microphylla subsp. glabrescens A.T.Lee APNI* Swainsona microphylla subsp. pallescens A.T.Lee APNI*
Description: Prostrate perennial to c. 25 cm high; stems sparsely to densely pubescent with appressed, divergent or crisped, basifixed or sub-basifixed hairs.
Leaves mostly 3–10 cm long; leaflets 7–25, variable, mostly broad-elliptic, usually 5–15 mm long, 3–8 mm wide, apex emarginate, both surfaces glabrous or lower surface pubescent; stipules 1–10 mm long, occasionally toothed, sometimes with an abaxial ridge.
Racemes 5- to > 35-flowered; flowers 6–10 mm long. Calyx glabrous or pubescent, teeth shorter than tube. Corolla purple, pink, yellow or white; keel apex sometimes extended or retracted. Style tip extended, tapered, with an arc of hairs.
Pod broad-oblong, obovoid or globose, 5–11 mm long, glabrous; style 2.5–4.5 mm long; stipe minute.
Distribution and occurrence: Usually grows in red sandy loam, often with Mulga and Callitris species; chiefly north from Hillston district and west from Narrabri area.
NSW subdivisions: CWS, NWP, SWP, NFWP, SFWP
Other Australian states: Qld W.A. S.A. N.T.
Text by J. Thompson & T. A. James Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 2 (1991)
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