Skip to main content

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 Conservation listings displayed on Florabase may also be out of date.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 pycnostachyum Benth.
Mt. Ragged Poison

Reference
Fl.Austral. 2:103 (1864)
Conservation Code
Priority Two
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Low shrub, to 1 m high. Fl. orange&yellow&red, Aug to Oct or Jan (rarely). Shallow sand over sandstone, red clay. Rocky outcrops and associated sandplains.

Amanda Spooner, Descriptive Catalogue, 9 December 2003

Scientific Description

Genus Gastrolobium. Form erect or prostrate,spreading or scrambling. Habit shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like). Stems Indumentum hairy, Pustules or glands absent, Striation (stems ribbed) not striate, Cross section angular, 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 15-35. Width (entire leaves only) Leaf width 10-20. 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 4. 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 2-3. Calyx Pustules or glands absent, Ribs ribless, Enlarged in fruit not accrescent. Length Calyx length 3.5-5. Indumentum Presence hairy, Type with simple hairs. Corolla Colour patterning multicoloured, Colour (when multicoloured - choose one colour) yellow, red or orange, Colour (when multicoloured - choose a second colour) yellow, red or orange, Petal claws ( the narrow base of the petals present. Length Corolla length 7.5-10. Indumentum Presence absent. Standard Indumentum glabrous, Auricles auriculate. Length Standard length 7.4-9.4. Wings Auricles auriculate. Length Wing length 6.4-8. Keel Auricles auriculate, Indumentum glabrous, Beak not beaked. Length Keel length 5.2-8. Stamens Number ten. Anthers anther length 0.4-0.6, Position at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short). Filaments Fusion free (or united at the very base). Length Filament length 5-6. 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 6.2-7.7. 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 7-8. Width Fruit width 5-5.5. Indumentum Presence hairy, Indumentum type with simple hairs. Flowering time January, August, September or October. Distribution Botanical Province South-West, IBRA Bioregion Mallee or Esperance. Conservation Code Priority Two (P2).

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

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Esperance Plains, Mallee.
IBRA Subregions
Eastern Mallee, Recherche.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Esperance.