Alysicarpus ovalifolius (Schumach.) J.Léonard

Scientific Description

Prostrate,spreading or scrambling, herb. Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, compound, alternate, not continuous with stem, 10-40 mm long, 7-25 mm wide, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves, 5-10 mm long, without glands, ribbed. Pedicel present, 1.5-1.6 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles absent. Calyx 4.5-5.2 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 5-6 mm long, multicoloured, mostly red, orange or purple, with some red, orange or purple spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 4.5-5 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate. Stamens ten; filaments united in an open sheath with one free stamen. Ovary stipitate, glabrous; style 6-7 mm long, glabrous, not bearded, terete. Fruit indehiscent and splitting into sections (schizocarps), 12-16 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, stipitate or sessile or subsessile, constricted between the seeds, flat or compressed, glabrous, not beaked. Flowers in March, April, May and June. Occurs in the Northern Botanical Province, in the Northern Kimberley, Victoria Bonaparte, Ord-Victorian-Plain and Dampierland IBRA regions.