Swainsona greyana

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Swainsona greyana
Swainsona greyana subsp. greyana.jpg
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: Swainsona
Species:
S. greyana
Binomial name
Swainsona greyana
Synonyms [1]
  • Swainsona grandiflora R.Br.
  • Swainsona greyanaLindl. subsp. greyana
  • Swainsona greyanaLindl. var. greyana
  • Swainsonia greyana F.Muell. orth. var.

Swainsona greyana, commonly known as the Darling pea or hairy-Darling pea, [2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is an erect perennial subshrub with imparipinnate leaves with 17 to 21 egg-shaped leaflets, and racemes of 12 to 20 or more white, pink or purple flowers.

Contents

Description

Swainsona greyana is an erect perennial subshrub with several hairy stems, that typically grows to a height of up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) or more. Its leaves are imparipinnate 100–150 mm (3.9–5.9 in) long with up to 17 to 21 elliptic to egg-shaped leaflets with the narrower end towards the base, 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) long and 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) wide on a short petiole. There is a stipule 4–10 mm (0.16–0.39 in) long at the base of the petiole. The flowers are arranged in racemes 100–400 mm (3.9–15.7 in) long with 12 to 20 or more flowers on a peduncle 100–400 mm (3.9–15.7 in) long, each flower 15–20 mm (0.59–0.79 in) long in the top half or two-thirds of the peduncle. The sepals are woolly-white and joined at the base, forming a tube 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long, the sepal lobes much shorter than the tube. The petals are white, pink or purple, the standard petal more or less round, 15–22 mm (0.59–0.87 in) long and wide, the wings 15–21 mm (0.59–0.83 in) long, and the keel 15–22 mm (0.59–0.87 in) long. Flowering occurs from September to March, and the fruit is an elliptic pod 30–50 mm (1.2–2.0 in) long and 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) wide with a stalk about 10 mm (0.39 in) long and the remains of the twisted style about 8 mm (0.31 in) long, containing about 28 heart-shaped seeds. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy

Swainsona greyana was first formally described by John Lindley in Edwards's Botanical Register from specimens "sent to the Horticultural Society by his Excellency Captain Grey, from the banks of the Murray in New Holland, where it had been previously found by Sir Thomas Mitchell." [6] [7]

Distribution and habitat

Darling pea occurs on the banks of the lower Murray and Darling Rivers in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. It mainly grows in heavy soils on floodplains in the south-east of South Australia, on the slopes and plains of New South Wales, and is rare in Victoria. [2] [4] [5]

Ecology

The plant contains the alkaloid swainsonine causing alpha-mannosidosis, a risk to grazing livestock. [8]

In 2014, thousands of livestock mostly sheep were killed in western New South Wales region, after consuming darling pea, due to its addictive nature. As toxicity builds up it attacks an enzyme involved in metabolism, leading crippling of an animal's central nervous system, and symptoms like erratic behaviour, loss of co-ordination and depression. Previously in January 2013, a bush fire had burnt 53,000 hectares of the Warrumbungle National Park and farms at Coonabarabran leaving the weeds no competition and they rapidly spread in the area. [9] [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Swainsona formosa</i> Species of plant

Swainsona formosa, commonly known as Sturt's desert pea or Sturt pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is native to all continental states and the Northern Territory of Australia, with the exception of Victoria. It is a prostrate annual or short lived perennial herb with imparipinnate leaves with about 15 elliptic to egg-shaped leaflets with the narrower end towards the base, and racemes of usually red flowers in racemes of 2 to 6.

<i>Swainsona</i> Genus of legumes

Swainsona is a genus of about 85 species of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, and is endemic to Australia. Plants in this genus are herbs or subshrubs with imparipinnate leaves and usually purple flowers similar to others in the family.

<i>Swainsona galegifolia</i> Species of legume

Swainsona galegifolia commonly known as smooth Darling pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a small shrub with greyish-green leaves and flowers in white, red, pink, purple, yellow or orange.

<i>Swainsona colutoides</i> Species of plant

Swainsona colutoides, commonly known as bladder senna or bladder vetch, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to arid areas of Australia. It is an erect annual, shrub-like herb, with imparipinnate leaves usually with up to 13 to 17 egg-shaped leaflets with the narrower end towards the base, and racemes of 10 to 20 purple flowers.

<i>Swainsona brachycarpa</i> Species of plant

Swainsona brachycarpa, commonly known as slender swainson-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a prostrate or ascending perennial herb with imparipinnate leaves usually with 9 to 13 egg-shaped to narrowly elliptic or egg-shaped leaflets, and racemes of up to 12 white, purple or dark red flowers.

Swainsona bracteata is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a perennial herb with imparipinnate leaves usually with 19 to 25 narrowly egg-shaped leaflets, and racemes of about 20 white, pale pink or pale purple flowers.

<i>Swainsona burkittii</i> Species of plant endemic to Australia

Swainsona burkittii, commonly known as woolly Darling pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to inland Australia. It is an erect or low-lying perennial with imparipinnate leaves usually with 15 to 30 egg-shaped to more or less circular leaflets, and racemes of up to fifty dark reddish-purple flowers.

<i>Swainsona campylantha</i> Species of legume

Swainsona campylantha, commonly known as Gilgai Darling pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to inland areas of Australia. It is a low-growing perennial with imparipinnate leaves usually with up to 7 narrowly lance-shaped to narrowly elliptic leaflets, and racemes of 2 to 10 pink to purple flowers.

Swainsona cyclocarpa is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to northern inland areas of Australia. It is a prostrate or low-growing annual with imparipinnate leaves usually with up to 7 usually egg-shaped leaflets with the narrower end towards the base, and racemes of 4 to 16 purple flowers.

Swainsona decurrens is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to northern inland areas of Australia. It is an erect annual with imparipinnate leaves usually with 15 to 19 narrowly elliptical leaflets and racemes of 20 to 30 red or purple flowers.

Swainsona disjuncta is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to widely separated areas of central Australia. It is a prostrate perennial herb with imparipinnate leaves with 3 to 9 egg-shaped leaflets, and racemes of purple, pink or red flowers in racemes of 3 to 15.

<i>Swainsona elegans</i> Species of legume

Swainsona elegans is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a prostrate or ascending annual with imparipinnate leaves, usually with 7 to 15 egg-shaped or elliptic leaflets, and racemes of up to 15 blue or reddish-purple flowers.

Swainsona eremaea is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a low-growing, spreading, probably perennial plant with imparipinnate leaves with 5 to 11 linear, oblong to broadly wedge-shaped leaflets, and racemes of bright red to brown or yellow flowers in racemes of 5 to 20.

Swainsona extrajacens is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to central Australia. It is an erect, annual plant with imparipinnate leaves with 9 to 21 linear, egg-shaped leaflets, and racemes of purple flowers in racemes of 5 to 10.

Swainsona fissimontana is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to inland areas of southern continental Australia. It is a compact, erect or upright perennial herb with imparipinnate leaves with 7 to 13 narrowly elliptic to elliptic leaflets, and racemes of pink to dark purplish flowers in racemes of 3 to 11.

<i>Swainsona flavicarinata</i> Species of legume

Swainsona flavicarinata is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to inland areas of continental Australia. It is a prostrate to more or less erect perennial herb, with imparipinnate leaves with 5 to 9 egg-shaped leaflets with the narrower end towards the base, and racemes of purple, red or pink flowers in racemes of 3 to 15.

Swainsona forrestii is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the central northern Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading, single-stemmed annual herb, with imparipinnate leaves with about 13 to 17 narrowly egg-shaped or narrowly ellipitic leaflets, and racemes of dark brownish red to purple or pink flowers in racemes of 30 or more.

Swainsona fraseri is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a perennial plant with imparipinnate leaves with mostly 21 to 24 ellipitic leaflets, and racemes of 20 or more pink to purple flowers.

Swainsona fuscoviridis is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a perennial plant with many stems and imparipinnate leaves with mostly 7 or 9 ellipitic, linear or egg-shaped or lance-shaped leaflets, and racemes of 12 to 20 purple flowers.

Swainsona gracilis 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 ascending perennial herb with imparipinnate leaves with up to 15 wedge-shaped or narrowly oblong leaflets, and racemes of up to 4 purple or blue flowers.

References

  1. 1 2 "Swainsona greyana". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Thompson, Joy; James, Teresa A. "Swainsona greyana". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  3. ↑ Thompson, Joy (1993). "A revision of the genus Swainsona (Fabaceae)". Telopea. 5 (3): 457–458. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Swainsona greyana". State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  5. 1 2 Jeanes, Jeff A.; Stajsic, Val. "Swainsona greyana". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  6. ↑ "Swainsona greyana". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  7. ↑ Lindley, John (1846). Edwards's Botanical Register. London: James Ridgway. p. 66. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  8. ↑ Coventry, J.; Saville, P. "Swainsona poisoning in cattle and horses" (PDF). Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  9. ↑ "Addictive native weed Darling Pea killing hundreds of livestock in western NSW". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "Thousands of sheep in Australia die from 'banging their heads till they crack open' after eating poisonous plant". The Independent. 18 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
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