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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 Conservation listings displayed on Florabase may also be out of date.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.

Rhynchosia australis Benth.
Rhynchosia

Reference
Fl.Austral. 2:267 (1864)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Prostrate or twining perennial, herb or climber, to 5 m high. Fl. yellow, Mar to Jun or Aug. Lateritic & basaltic soils. Ridges, shell dunes.

Grazyna Paczkowska, Descriptive Catalogue, 1 August 1996

Scientific Description

Genus Rhynchosia. Form twining or climbing plants. 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 alternate, Leaves compound, Leaves or phylloclade continuous with stem not 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 present. Length Leaf length 40-120. Width (entire leaves only) Leaf width NaN (?). Scale leaves length mm long NaN (?). Leaflets Number three, Arrangement pinnately arranged. Terminal leaflet Presence present, Stalk stalked. Indumentum Presence hairy, Type simple. Stipules Presence present and persistent to older leaves, Glands without glands, Ribs ribless. Length Stipule length 3. Bracteoles Presence absent, Indumentum hairy (?) or glabrous (?), Striation striate (?) or not striate (?). Length Bracteole length NaN (?). Pedicel Presence present, Indumentum hairy. Length Pedicel length 1-1.5. Calyx Pustules or glands present, Ribs ribless, Enlarged in fruit not accrescent. Length Calyx length 5-6.5. Indumentum Presence hairy, Type with simple hairs. Corolla Colour patterning uniformly coloured, Colour (when uniformly coloured) yellow, 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 7-8. Wings Auricles not auriculate. Length Wing length 6-7.5. Keel Auricles not auriculate, Indumentum glabrous, Beak not beaked. Length Keel length 7-8. Stamens Number ten. Anthers anther length 0.4-0.5, Position at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short). Filaments Fusion united in an open sheath with one free stamen. Length Filament length 5-7. Ovary Placement sessile or subsessile. 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 7.5-8.5. Fruit Type dehiscent (a pod or follicle), Constriction not constricted between the seeds, Compression flat or compressed, Placement sessile or subsessile, Beak not beaked. Length Fruit length NaN (?). Width Fruit width NaN (?). Indumentum Presence hairy (?) or glabrous (?), Indumentum type with simple hairs (?) or with glandular hairs (?). Flowering time March, April, May, June or August. Distribution Botanical Province Northern or Eremaean, IBRA Bioregion Pilbara, Carnarvon, Gascoyne, Little Sandy Desert, Northern Kimberley, Victoria Bonaparte, Ord-Victorian-Plain or Dampierland.

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

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Carnarvon, Dampierland, Gascoyne, Little Sandy Desert, Northern Kimberley, Ord Victoria Plain, Pilbara, Victoria Bonaparte.
IBRA Subregions
Ashburton, Augustus, Cape Range, Chichester, Fitzroy Trough, Fortescue, Hamersley, Keep, Mitchell, Pindanland, Purnululu, Roebourne, Rudall, South Kimberley Interzone, Wooramel.
IMCRA Regions
Kimberley.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Ashburton, Broome, Carnarvon, Derby-West Kimberley, East Pilbara, Exmouth, Halls Creek, Karratha, Meekatharra, Port Hedland, Upper Gascoyne, Wyndham-East Kimberley.