Macroptilium atropurpureum (DC.) Urb.
Purple Bean

Scientific Description

Twining or climbing plants, herb. Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, compound, alternate, not continuous with stem, 30-60 mm long, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent, pinnately arranged, terminal leaflet present, stalked; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves, 5-6 mm long, without glands, ribbed. Pedicel present, 1-2 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles absent. Calyx 7.5-9 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 15-17 mm long, multicoloured, mostly red or purple, with some red or purple spots, streaks or blotches; claws absent; standard 13-15 mm long, glabrous, auriculate, wings 13 mm long, not auriculate, keel 12 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten. Ovary glabrous; style 17 mm long, hairy or glandular towards the base, bearded (with a tuft of hairs at apex), terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 60-70 mm long, 2 mm wide, sessile or subsessile, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, hairy, with simple hairs, not beaked. Flowers in March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November. Occurs in the Northern, Eremaean and South-West Botanical Province, in the Pilbara, Northern Kimberley, Victoria Bonaparte, Central Kimberley, Ord-Victorian-Plain, Dampierland, Geraldton Sandplains and Swan Coastal Plain IBRA regions.