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Service Notice

The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system and census were set to read-only mode on 1 October 2025. Taxonomic updates published since this time are not being reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or Western Australia’s taxonomic names census (Nomos). Conservation listings displayed on Florabase may also be out of date. Please refer to DBCA’s Threatened species and communities webpage for the most recent Threatened and Priority Flora List, noting that recent taxonomic updates are similarly not included. Our database migration is moving to a staging phase. We thank you for your patience as we ensure the integrity of our biodiversity data, develop new workflows, and train staff to use the new systems. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

The notice period started at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, 1 October 2025 +08:00 and will end at 12:00 pm on Friday, 1 January 2027 +08:00.

Gastrolobium ovalifolium Henfr.
Runner Poison

Reference
Gard.Companion Florists' Guide 1:41 (1852)
Conservation Code
Priority Four
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Prostrate, spreading shrub, to 0.1 m high. Fl. orange & purple & yellow & red, Aug to Sep. Sandy clay. Gravelly hills.

Amanda Spooner, Descriptive Catalogue, 27 October 2003
Image

Scientific Description

Genus Gastrolobium. Form twining or climbing plants. Habit tree (?), shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like) (?) or herb (?). Stems Indumentum hairy, Pustules or glands absent, Striation (stems ribbed) not striate, Cross section terete, Spiny on any part of plant not spiny. Leaves or phylloclades Presence clearly present, Position opposite, Leaves simple, Leaves or phylloclade continuous with stem continuous with stem, Cross section of leaf or leaflet flat with flat margins, Margins of leaf or leaflet entire, Tuberculate tubercles absent, Pustules or glands absent. Length Leaf length 15-40. Width (entire leaves only) Leaf width 10-25. Scale leaves length mm long NaN (?). Indumentum Presence hairy, Type simple. Stipules Presence present and persistent to older leaves, Glands without glands, Ribs ribless. Length Stipule length 7-8. Bracteoles Presence present but early deciduous, Indumentum hairy (?) or glabrous (?), Striation striate (?) or not striate (?). Length Bracteole length NaN (?). Pedicel Presence present, Indumentum hairy. Length Pedicel length 3-4.5. Calyx Pustules or glands absent, Ribs ribless, Enlarged in fruit not accrescent. Length Calyx length 5.6-6.5. Indumentum Presence hairy, Type with simple hairs. Corolla Colour patterning multicoloured, Colour (when multicoloured - choose one colour) red, orange or purple, Colour (when multicoloured - choose a second colour) red, orange or purple, Petal claws ( the narrow base of the petals present. Length Corolla length 7.2-9. Indumentum Presence absent. Standard Indumentum glabrous, Auricles auriculate. Length Standard length 6-8.5. Wings Auricles auriculate. Length Wing length 6.5-8. Keel Auricles auriculate, Indumentum glabrous, Beak not beaked. Length Keel length 6.5-8. Stamens Number ten. Anthers anther length 0.6-0.7, Position at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short). Filaments Fusion free (or united at the very base). Length Filament length 4.5-7.6. Ovary Placement stipitate. Indumentum Presence hairy or glandular. Style Indumentum hairy or glandular towards the base, Bearded ( with a tuft of hairs at apex ) not bearded, Apex terete. Length Style length 9-10. Fruit Type dehiscent (a pod or follicle), Constriction not constricted between the seeds, Compression round in cross-section, Placement stipitate, Beak not beaked. Length Fruit length 10. Width Fruit width 6. Indumentum Presence hairy, Indumentum type with simple hairs. Flowering time August or September. Distribution Botanical Province South-West, IBRA Bioregion Avon Wheatbelt or Jarrah Forest. Conservation Code Priority Four (P4).

C. Hollister and K.R. Thiele, 17 April 2024

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Avon Wheatbelt, Jarrah Forest.
IBRA Subregions
Katanning, Northern Jarrah Forest, Southern Jarrah Forest.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Beverley, Boyup Brook, Brookton, Cuballing, Denmark, Kojonup, Narrogin, Wandering, West Arthur, Williams.