Citation: F. Muell., Linnaea 25:392 (1853).

Synonymy: S. lessertiifolia DC. var. tephrotricha (F. Muell.) Benth., Fl. Aust. 2:222 (1864), partly.

Common name: Ashy-haired swainsona.

Description:
Ascending or suberect perennial with pithy stems 10-30 cm long; indumentum of dense silvery or grey medifixed flattened hairs appressed or with the ends sometimes spreading on stems leaves and peduncles; leaves 3-10 commonly c. 5 cm long, with 9-19 usually 13-17 leaflets; leaflets oblanceolate to elliptic, 7-30 x 2-15 mm, often c. 10 x 3.5 mm, broadly acute, with a recurved mucro, pubescent evenly on both sides; stipules lanceolate, 5-8 mm long, pubescent.

Flowers 8-10 mm long, on c. 2 mm long densely pubescent pedicels with dark and/or white hairs, few to 30 on the distal half of the 8-30cm long peduncle; bract ovate-lanceolate, slightly longer or shorter than the hoary pedicel; bracteoles subulate, to 0.5 mm long, inconspicuous; calyx 4-6 mm long, densely covered with grey and/or dark hairs giving a darkish aspect; petals brilliantly rose-pink drying purplish; standard broadly obcordate, about as long as broad, venation oblique, without calli, a wide short claw c. 2 mm long; wings shortest, oblong, on a slender c. 3 mm long claw; keel slightly shorter than the standard, semicircular, obtuse, often with a pair of folds near the auricle; claw slender, c. 3 mm long; ovary shortly stipitate, fusiform, appressed-pubescent with short hairs except along the suture where they are longer and more spreading; style slender, bearded all its length, the tip sometimes slightly but never abruptly bent, with a minute tuft of sometimes obscure hairs behind the stigma.

Pod subglobose, c. 10 mm long, slightly impressed along the suture, distinctly beaked, densely pubescent with white hairs, 10-20-seeded; seed reniform, to 2 mm long, brown.

Image source: fig. 341A in J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken Ed. 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Distribution:  S.Aust.: LE, FR, EA, EP, NL, MU. Conservation status: native Flowering time: July — Oct.

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

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available