Swainsona monticola

Notched Swainson-pea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Swainsona
Species:
S. monticola
Binomial name
Swainsona monticola

Swainsona monticola, commonly known as notched Swainson-pea,[2] is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae and grows in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It is an upright or sprawling perennial with fern-like leaves and purple pea flowers.

Description

Swainsona monticola is a low growing, perennial plant and stems with short, slightly flattened hairs. The leaves are 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) long with 11 to 25 narrowly egg-shaped, oblong or elliptic-shaped leaflets 2–15 mm (0.079–0.591 in) long, 3 mm (0.12 in) wide, rounded or notched at the apex and the lower surface with occasional hairs. The 3-15 pea-shaped flowers are borne on upright stems in a raceme, 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long, corolla purple with two small white spots on the standard petal and the pedicel 5 mm (0.20 in) long. Flowering occurs from October to February and the fruit is oblong-oval shaped, up to 1.5 cm (0.59 in) long, 8–15 mm (0.31–0.59 in) long and more or less smooth.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy and naming

Swainsona monticola was formally described 1864 by George Bentham from an unpublished description by Allan Cunningham and published in Flora Australiensis.[5][6] The specific epithet (monticola) is derived from the Latin mons, meaning "mountain" and cola, meaning "dweller", referring to the montane habitat.[7]

Distribution and habitat

Notched Swainson-pea grows at higher altitudes on woodland or rocky slopes in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ "Swainsona monticola". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Thompson, J.; James, T.A. "Swainsona monticola". PlantNET-NSW Flora online. Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b Cosgrove, Meredith (2014). Photographic Guide to Native Plants of the Australian Capital Territory. Meadow Argus. p. 168. ISBN 9780994183408.
  4. ^ Sharp, Sarah; Rehwinkel, Rainer; Mallinson, Dave; Eddy, David (2015). Woodland Flora a Field Guide for the Southern Tableland (NSW & ACT). Canberra: Horizons Print Management. ISBN 9780994495808.
  5. ^ "Swainsona monticola". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  6. ^ Bentham, George (1864). Flora Australiensis. London: Lovell Reeve & Co. p. 223.
  7. ^ "Swainsona monticola". APNI. Vascular Plants Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Retrieved 26 September 2021.