Citation: R. Br. ex Benth., Fl. Aust. 2:131 (1864).

Synonymy: P. acerosa R. Br. ex Benth. vat. acicularis H.B. Williamson, Proc. R. Soc. Vic. n.s. 33:140 (1921).

Common name: Bristly bush-pea.

Description:
Small rigid much branched shrub 30-60 cm high, young branches woolly, later pubescent or tomentose; leaves linear-terete, 5-10 mm long, tapering into a strong pungent point, spreading or recurved, grooved above by the involute margins, sometimes pubescent at first, later glabrous; stipules lanceolate-acuminate, 2-4 mm long, costate, margins hyaline, ciliate, woolly-pubescent or glabrous.

Flowers subsessile, 6-9 mm long, axillary but usually 2-10 at the tips of the branchlets in a leafy cluster; bracts absent; bracteoles attached close under the calyx, ovate-lanceolate, c. 3 mm long, shorter than the calyx, scarious, ciliate, midrib tapering into a slender point, sometimes softly pubescent on the back; calyx pink, 5-7 mm long, glabrous rarely villous, teeth longer than the tube, ciliate, tapering into a rigid pungent point; petals slightly or largely exceeding the calyx, rarely all whitish or yellow; standard suborbicular to ovate, as wide as long, with dark-red lines in the throat, suddenly contracted into a claw; wings oblong, slightly auriculate above the slender claw; keel semicircular in outline, distally dark-red, with an obtuse tip, auriculate above the slender claw; ovary subglobose, villous.

Pod ovoid, 3-4 mm long, exceeding the calyx, villous, brown; seed cordate, c. 1.5 mm long.

	Pultenaea acerosa twig, leaves, flower, legume and seed.
Image source: fig 362a in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Corrick (1978) Victorian Nat. 95:189, fig. 141.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: EP, YP, SL, KI, SE.   Vic. (rare). Conservation status: native Flowering time: Aug. — Dec.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: In larger leafy clusters of flowers the stipules could be taken for bracts.

Taxonomic notes: Shows similarities with P. vestita which has bistipulate bracteoles and the central lobe ending in a long pungent-like point.

Author: Not yet available