Gastrolobium melanocarpum G.Chandler & Crisp

Scientific Description

Erect, shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like). Stems angular, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, simple, opposite, continuous with stem, 20-45 mm long, 1-1.3 mm wide, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with recurved margins, strongly recurved, appearing terete but with one or two grooves below or revolute; margins entire; tubercles absent; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves. Pedicel present, 1.5-2 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present but early deciduous. Calyx 4-4.3 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 8.5-9 mm long, multicoloured, mostly pink, red, orange or purple, with some pink, red, orange or purple spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 7.5-7.6 mm long, glabrous, auriculate, wings 7-7.5 mm long, auriculate, keel 6.5-7 mm long, not beaked, auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 0.6-0.7 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments free (or united at the very base), 4.7-5.2 mm long. Ovary stipitate, hairy or glandular; style 4.3-6.5 mm long, hairy or glandular towards the base, not bearded, terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), stipitate, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, not beaked. Flowers in August, September and October. Occurs in the Eremaean and South-West Botanical Province, in the Coolgardie, Avon Wheatbelt, Mallee and Esperance IBRA regions.