Family: Fabaceae
Dipogon lignosus
Citation:
Verdc., Taxon 17:537 (1968).
Synonymy: Dolichos lignosus L., Sp. Pl. 726 (1753); Verdcourtia lignosa (L.)R. Wilczek, Bull. Jard. Bot. Brux. 36:249 (1966).
Common name: Lavatory creeper, dolichos pea, common (or purple) dolichos.
Description:
Stems wiry, to 3 m long, slightly compressed, young shoots slightly puberulent; leaflets on puberulent petioles to 6 cm long; lateral leaflets on petiolules to 2 mm long; terminal leaflets on petiolules 5-20 mm long; stipules oblong-lanceolate, to 6 mm long, herbaceous, white-pubescent, persistent; 2 stipels at lower leaflets, linear-acuminate, to 3 mm long; stipels at upper leaflet filiform, to 2 mm long.
Flowers c. 1 cm long, in many-flowered axillary racemes to 25 cm long; bract lanceolate, 1-2 mm long, more or less persistent; bracteoles inserted just under the calyx, subovate, to 1 mm long; calyx campanulate, 3-4 mm long, on a filiform pedicel 3-7 mm long (which extends to 15 mm or more and thickens in fruit); calyx-teeth subequal, upper 2 slightly united in an upper lip, lower 3 slightly united in a lower lip, distinctly ciliate on the margins; standard widely ovate, c. 12 mm across, with 2 lamellar calli basally, recurved or conduplicate; wings obovate, auriculate, slightly shorter than the standard, incurved nearly at right angles; keel semicircular, shortest, sickle-shaped, incurved, beak purple; upper stamen free, lower 9 united in an open sheath around the ovary; ovary linear, many-ovulate; stigma capitate.
Pod more or less linear-terete, 25-50 x 5-10 mm, more or less compressed, with a persistent style, 2-valved, dehiscent, valves convex, coriaceous, glabrous; seeds ovate, 35-45 x 2.5-3 mm, slightly compressed; hilum white, c. 2.5 mm long.
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Image source: fig. 310B in J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken Ed. 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).
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Published illustration:
R. Wilczek (1966) Bull. Jard. Bot. Brux. 36:251,253.
Distribution:
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introduced through cultivation.
S.Aust.: LE, EP, YP, SL, KI, SE. W.Aust.; Qld; N.S.W.; Vic.;.
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Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: Sept. — Jan.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Author:
Not yet available
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