Family: Polygalaceae
Muraltia heisteria
Citation:
DC., Prod. 1:335 (1824).
Synonymy: Polygala heisteria L., Sp. Pl. 704 (1753).
Common name: Furze muraltia, African furze.
Description:
Stiff erect or divaricate shrub, to 1 m high; stems terete, densely pubescent; leaves clustered in tufts along the stem, c. 5-12 mm long, linear-lanceolate, keeled, rigidly pungent-pointed, usually with marginal hairs and occasionally hairs along the keel.
Flowers solitary or 2 together, sessile or nearly so, in leaf clusters, 5-12 mm long; sepals 5, almost equal in length, c. 4-5 mm long, margins ciliate; petals 3, about twice as long as the sepals; lateral petals pink-mauve, spathulate, joined for about half their length, longer than the clawed purple keel; occasionally flowers all white; stamens 7; anthers opening by longitudinal slits; style wider near the apex, truncate; stigma lateral, sessile.
Capsule minutely pubescent, ovate, c. 5 mm long, with 4 long horn-like appendages at the summit; seed minutely pubescent.
Published illustration:
Rice & Compton (1950) Wildflowers of the Cape of Good Hope. pl. 8.
Distribution:
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S.Aust.: MU, SL. N.S.W.; Vic.
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Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: June — Oct.
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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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