Pultenaea mollis explained

Pultenaea mollis, commonly known as soft bush-pea or guinea flower bush pea,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with narrow linear to elliptic or needle-shaped leaves and clusters of up to ten yellow to orange flowers with red markings.

Description

Pultenaea mollis is an erect or spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of up to with stems covered with twisted or curled hairs. The leaves are arranged alternately, narrow linear to elliptic or needle-shaped, long and wide with the edges rolled inwards and the lower surface hairy. There are stipules long with their eges rolled under, at the base of the leaves. The flowers are arranged in leafy clusters of four to ten near the ends of short side branches, each flower long on pedicels long with bracts up to long. The sepals are long with egg-shaped bracteoles long attached at the base of the sepal tube. The standard petal and wings are yellow with red markings and the keel is red. Flowering occurs from spring to summer and the fruit is an egg-shaped pod long.[2] [3]

Taxonomy

Pultenaea mollis was first formally described in 1838 by John Lindley in Thomas Mitchell's journal, Three Expeditions into the interior of Eastern Australia.[4] [5] The specific epithet (mollis) means "soft".[6]

Distribution and habitat

Soft bush-pea grows in forest, sometimes in heathland, and occurs in coastal areas south from Gosford in New South Wales to the southern half of Victoria where it is widespread and locally common. The species also occurs in the north-east of Tasmania.[7]

Conservation status

Pultenaea mollis is classified as "vulnerable" under the Tasmanian Government Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pultenaea mollis . Royal Botanic Garden Sydney . 30 July 2021.
  2. Web site: Corrick . Margaret G. . Pultenaea mollis . Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria . 30 July 2021.
  3. Web site: Wood . Betty . Pultenaea . Lucid Keys . 30 July 2021.
  4. Web site: Pultenaea mollis. APNI. 30 July 2021.
  5. Book: Lindley . John . Mitchell . Thomas L. (ed.) . Three Expeditions into the interior of Eastern Australia . 1838 . T. & W. Boone . London . 178 . 26 August 2021.
  6. Book: Sharr . Francis Aubi . George . Alex . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 254 . 3rd.
  7. Web site: Threatened Species Link - Pultenaea mollis . Tasmanian Government Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment . 30 July 2021.