Carmichaelia australis R.Br.

Shrub, 2-3(-8) × 2-3(- 5) m. Branches up to 100 mm diameter, ascending and spreading. Cladodes 30—200 × 1.5—8 mm, ascending or spreading, linear, striate, weakly planoconvex to strongly flattened and compressed, green, yellow-green, or brown-green, glabrous to sparsely hairy, apex obtuse to subacute; leaf nodes 4—15. Leaves 1—3-foliolate, present on seedlings and rarely on adults, terminal leaflet larger; lamina 3—12(—22) × 1.3—7(—16) mm, obovate to oblong, fleshy, green, sometimes with dark mottling, adaxiai and abaxial surfaces glabrous to moderately hairy, apex emarginate, base cuneate; petiole 1-10 mm long, glabrous to moderately hairy, green; petiolule < 0.25 mm long, glabrous or sparsely hairy, light green. Leaves on cladodes reduced to scales, < 0.5 mm long, broad-triangular, glabrous, apex subacute, margin hairy. Stipules c. 1 × c. 1.5 mm, free, broad-triangular, adaxiai surface glabrous, abaxial surface glabrous or with few scattered hairs and becoming glabrous with age, apex subacute, margin hairy. Inflorescence a raceme, 1-3 per node, each with 4-15 flowers. Peduncle 1-10 mm long, glabrous to moderately hairy, green, occasionally flushed red. Bracts < c. 0.5 mm long, triangular, glabrous, apex acute, margin hairy. Pedicel 2—4 mm long, glabrous to sparsely hairy, pale green. Bracteoles on upper part of pedicel or lower part of receptacle, lanceolate, glabrous, green and often flushed red, apex subacute, margin hairy. Calyx 1.3- 1.7 × 1.7—2.2 mm, campanulate, green, outer surface glabrous to moderately hairy. Calyx lobes 0.2— 0.4 mm long, triangular, inner surface glabrous, appressed to corolla or rarely weakly spreading, apex acute. Standard 4—6 × 5—6.5 mm, obovate, patent, positioned in central part of keel, keeled, apex retuse; inner surface white, sometimes with a purple blotch, purple-veined; outer surface white, green at base, purple-veined; claw c. 1 mm long, pale green. Wings 4—5 × 1.7—2.2 mm, oblong, longer than keel, apex obtuse; inner and outer surfaces white, purpleveined; auricle rounded, white; claw c. 1.5 mm long, pale green. Keel (Fig. 2B) 3.2-4.2 × c. 1.5 mm, apex obtuse; distal part of inner and outer surfaces purple, proximal part white; auricle < 0.5 mm long, rounded, pale green; claw c. 1.5 mm long, pale green. Stamens 3—4 mm long; dorsal filaments connate for c. ¾ of length, outer stamens free for c. 0.5 mm. Pistil c. 4 mm long, exserted beyond the stamens, glabrous; ovules 5-10. Pods 6.5-15 × 2— 5.5 mm, oblong, broad-oblong, elliptic, broad-elliptic, or sometimes orbicular, laterally compressed, erect or spreading, brown, grey, or black, valves dehiscent; beak 0.5—2.5 mm long, in a central apical position, stout, pungent-tipped. Seeds 2.2-4 × 1.7-2.8 mm, oblong to reniform, 1-5 per pod, orange, red, green, or yellow-green and often with black mottling, usually persistent on replum. FL Oct-Feb, FT Nov-May.

[Reproduced from Heenan (1996, New Zealand J. Bot. 34: 157-177) with permission from The Royal Society of New Zealand.]