Heathy Phyllota

Appearance

Low heath-like shrubs to 0.5 m high; stems terete, suckering easily; branches more or less pubescent; leaves crowded towards the ends of the branches, forming dense fascicles, linear, 6-10 x 0.7-1.2 mm, scabrous tips recurved, mucronate, basally narrowed into 1-2 mm long dorsiventrally compressed more or less pubescent petioles; stipules inconspicuous, if present very small.

Flowers 5-8 mm long, solitary or paired, terminating the branchlets, almost hidden amongst the subtending floral leaves on pubescent pedicels 0.5-1 mm long; bracts similar in appearance to the foliage leaves, usually narrowed and more villous towards the base; bracteoles attached to the base of the calyx, ovate, obtuse, 1-2 x c. 1 mm, coriaceous, pubescent; calyx 3-4 mm long, villous with white hairs, the upper 2 lobes broader and united almost to the summit as a truncate upper lip; the lower acute, equalling the tube; standard broadly ovate, yellow; wings oblong, yellow; keel obtuse, shortest, yellow-red; stamens free, basally adnate to the petals at the base of the claw, both deciduous after flowering; ovary villous, 2-ovulate; style slightly thickened and pubescent basally, slender, glabrous distally.

Distribution

South Australia: MU, SL, KI, SE. Vic. (south-western section)