Bossiaea walkeri

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Cactus bossiaea
Bossiaea walkeri.jpg
Bossiaea walkeri in Maranoa Gardens
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Bossiaea
Species:
B. walkeri
Binomial name
Bossiaea walkeri
BossiaeawalkeriDistMap100.png
Occurrence data from AVH

Bossiaea walkeri, commonly known as cactus bossiaea, cactus pea, [2] or Walker's stick bush, [3] is a species of flowering plant in the pea family (Fabaceae) and is endemic to southern mainland Australia. It is a rigid, much-branched shrub with flattened, winged cladodes and red, pea-like flowers between July and November in the species' native range.

Contents

Description

Bossiaea walkeri is a rigid, much-branched shrub that grows up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) high and wide and is more or less glabrous. The stems and branches are flattened and winged, ending in cladodes 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) wide. The leaves, when present, are reduced to scales about 2 mm (0.079 in) long, occasionally more or less round and up to 15 mm (0.59 in) long near the base or on young plants. The flowers are 20–25 mm (0.79–0.98 in) long and are borne singly at nodes on the cladodes on a pendent pedicel up to 5 mm (0.20 in) long with overlapping, broadly egg-shaped bracts up to 3 mm (0.12 in) long at the base. There are egg-shaped bracteoles 2.3–3.5 mm (0.091–0.138 in) long on the pedicel, but that fall off as the flower opens. The five sepals are about 10 mm (0.39 in) long and joined at the base, forming a tube 3.5–6.0 mm (0.14–0.24 in) long, the two upper lobes 2.3–5.5 mm (0.091–0.217 in) long and much longer than the lower three. The standard petal is usually red, 18–19 mm (0.71–0.75 in) long and shorter than the wings and keel that are each about 20 mm (0.79 in) long. The wings are salmon pink and the keel is deep red. Flowering occurs between July and November and the fruit is an oblong pod about 6 mm (0.24 in) long. [2] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

Taxonomy

Bossiaea walkeri was first formally described in 1861 by Ferdinand von Mueller in Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae from specimens collected by Alexander Walker on hills between the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee Rivers. [9] [10] The specific epithet (walkeri) honours the collector of the type specimens. [11]

Distribution and habitat

Cactus bossiaea grows in mallee, low open woodland, creek beds and rocky outcrops and occurs in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. It is found from near Shark Bay in Western Australia, through the south-west of the state to southern South Australia, the Murray River and Wyperfeld National Park in Victoria, and to inland New South Wales. [2] [4] [5] [6] [7] The species is rare in Victoria, where it is listed as "endangered" under the Victorian Government Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 . [6]

Ecology

The pendent flowers and the unusual shape of the flower parts of B. walkeri suggest that it is bird-pollinated. Honeyeaters and blue wrens have been observed visiting the flowers. [7]

Reproduction

The 2cm flowers are produced between July and November. They will often flower after seed has set to take full advantage of additional rainfall after a dry period. [12] The fruit is a hairless, flattened 6cm by 1cm pod that contains brown seeds. The pods begin green but mature to brown, the seeds become ripe usually 2 to 3 months after flowering has finished. [3] Then on a hot day the pods will explode to disperse the seed several metres. Birds are the primary pollinators, but small animals and insects also contribute. [12]

Uses

Use in horticulture

This species is described as "decorative" and can be propagated from seed or from cuttings. It can be grown in full sun or part shade, is drought and frost tolerant but needs relatively dry, well-drained soil. [3]

Other uses

Bossiaea walkeri produces a very distinct honey, although it appears to have no pastoral value. [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Bossiaea</i> Genus of legumes

Bossiaea is a genus of about 78 species of flowering plants in the pea family Fabaceae and is endemic to Australia. Plants in this genus often have stems and branches modified as cladodes, simple, often much reduced leaves, flowers with the upper two sepal lobes larger than the lower three, usually orange to yellow petals with reddish markings, and the fruit a more or less flattened pod.

<i>Bossiaea scolopendria</i> Species of legume

Bossiaea scolopendria, commonly known as plank plant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is an erect, sparsely-branched shrub with flattened branches, ending in winged cladodes, the leaves mostly reduced to small scales except on the youngest branches, and yellow and red flowers.

Bossiaea vombata, commonly known as wombat bossiaea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the Wombat State Forest in Victoria, Australia. It is an erect shrub with flattened cladodes and yellow, pea-like flowers.

Bossiaea bracteosa, commonly known as mountain leafless bossiaea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to north-eastern Victoria, Australia. It is a dense shrub that often forms root suckers and has winged branches, winged and lobed cladodes, leaves reduced to small scales, and deep yellow flowers, often with red blotches.

<i>Kennedia lateritia</i> Species of legume

Kennedia lateritia, commonly known as Augusta kennedia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a woody climber with twining stems, trifoliate leaves and orange-red and yellow flowers arranged in groups of up to twenty-four.

<i>Bossiaea armitii</i> Species of legume

Bossiaea armitii is an erect, rhizomatous, leafless shrub in the pea family (Fabaceae), and is native to Queensland.

<i>Pultenaea skinneri</i> Species of legume

Pultenaea skinneri, commonly known as Skinner's pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a slender shrub with simple leaves, and yellow, red and orange flowers with red markings.

<i>Bossiaea decumbens</i> Species of legume

Bossiaea decumbens is a spreading, prostrate shrub in the pea family (Fabaceae), and is endemic to Victoria. It has alternate, variable shaped leaves and yellow pea flowers with red splotches from spring to late summer.

Bossiaea celata is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a compact, many-branched shrub with flattened cladodes, leaves reduced to scales, and yellow to pinkish-red pea-like flowers.

Bossiaea cucullata is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a dense, many-branched shrub with narrow-winged cladodes, leaves reduced to dark brown scales, and yellow and deep red or pale greenish-yellow flowers.

<i>Bossiaea fragrans</i> Species of flowering plant

Pultenaea fragrans is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It is an erect shrub with flattened cladodes, small, scale-like leaves, and pea-like, yellow and red flowers.

<i>Bossiaea grayi</i> Species of flowering plant

Pultenaea grayi, commonly known as Murrumbidgee bossiaea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the Australian Capital Territory. It is an erect shrub with flattened, winged, glabrous cladodes, leaves reduced to small scales, and pea-like, yellow and red flowers.

<i>Bossiaea leptacantha</i> Species of legume

Bossiaea leptacantha is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to southern Western Australia. It is a low, compact, spreading, many-branched shrub, the branches ending in cladodes, the leaves reduced to small scales, and with deep yellow, red and greenish yellow flowers.

Gompholobium gompholobioides is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub with pinnate leaves and uniformly yellow, pea-like flowers.

<i>Bossiaea neoanglica</i> Species of legume

Bossiaea neoanglica is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a prostrate to low-lying shrub with sparsely hairy foliage, egg-shaped to more or less round leaves, and yellow and red flowers.

Bossiaea saxosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to a restricted area near Norseman, Western Australia. It is an erect, intricately branched shrub with many slightly flattened, sharply-pointed cladodes and deep yellow, red and lemon-yellow, pea-like flowers.

Bossiaea simulata is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to inland areas of Western Australia. It is a compact shrub with sharply-pointed cladodes and yellow, pea-like flowers sometimes with red markings.

<i>Daviesia abnormis</i> Species of flowering plant

Daviesia abnormis is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, hairy shrub with sharply-pointed, narrow elliptic to narrow egg-shaped phyllodes with the narrower end towards the base, and yellow flowers with faint red markings.

<i>Kennedia beckxiana</i> Species of legume

Kennedia beckxiana, commonly known as Cape Arid kennedia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a prostrate or twining shrub or a climber with trifoliate leaves and red and yellow, pea-like flowers.

<i>Leucopogon bossiaea</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon bossiaea is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to a restricted area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with elliptic to broadly egg-shaped leaves and white flowers in four to eleven upper leaf axils.

References

  1. ↑ "Bossiaea walkeri". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Bossiaea walkeri". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Australian National Botanic Gardens, Parks Australia. "Bossiaea walkeri - Growing Native Plants". www.anbg.gov.au. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Bossiaea walkeri". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  5. 1 2 "Seeds of South Australia - Species Information". spapps.environment.sa.gov.au. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 Ross, James H. "Bossiaea walkeri". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 Ross, James H. (2006). "A conspectus of the Western Australian Bossiaea species (Bossiaeeae: Fabaceae)". Muelleria. 23: 118–121. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  8. ↑ Corrick, Margaret G.; Fuhrer, Bruce A. (2009). Wildflowers of southern Western Australia (3rd ed.). Kenthurst, N.S.W.: Rosenberg Pub. p. 57. ISBN   9781877058844.
  9. ↑ "Bossiaea walkeri". APNI. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  10. ↑ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1861). Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. Vol. 2. Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer. p. 120. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  11. ↑ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 338. ISBN   9780958034180.
  12. 1 2 Archer, William (30 January 2010). "Esperance Wildflowers: Cactus Pea - Bossiaea walkeri". Esperance Wildflowers. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
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