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 Conservation listings displayed on Florabase may also be out of date.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

Swainsona kingii F.Muell.

Reference
Pl.Coll.Capric.W.Austral.King 4 (1886)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Prostrate or ascending annual or perennial, herb, 0.05-0.15(-1) m high. Fl. pink-purple/red-brown-purple, May to Oct. Sand, loam, clay. Rocky clay flats, creek-beds or lake-beds.

Grazyna Paczkowska, Descriptive Catalogue, 5 August 1996
Image

Scientific Description

Genus Swainsona. Form erect or twining or climbing plants. Habit 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 alternate, Leaves compound, 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 25-70. Width (entire leaves only) Leaf width NaN (?). Scale leaves length mm long NaN (?). Leaflets Number more than three, Number of leaflets (if more than three) 5-7, Arrangement pinnately arranged. Terminal leaflet Presence present, Stalk stalked. Indumentum Presence glabrous. Stipules Presence present and persistent to older leaves, Glands without glands, Ribs ribless. Length Stipule length 10-15. Bracteoles Presence present and persistent, Indumentum glabrous, Striation not striate. Length Bracteole length 0.5-1. Pedicel Presence present, Indumentum glabrous. Length Pedicel length 2. Calyx Pustules or glands absent, Ribs ribless, Enlarged in fruit not accrescent. Length Calyx length 4-4.5. Indumentum Presence glabrous. Corolla Colour patterning multicoloured, Colour (when multicoloured - choose one colour) pink or purple, Colour (when multicoloured - choose a second colour) pink or purple, Petal claws ( the narrow base of the petals present. Length Corolla length 9-10. Indumentum Presence absent. Standard Indumentum glabrous, Auricles not auriculate. Length Standard length 8-10.2. Wings Auricles not auriculate. Length Wing length 7.6-9. Keel Auricles not auriculate, Indumentum glabrous, Beak beaked. Length Keel length 7-8. Stamens Number ten. Anthers anther length NaN (?), Position at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short). Filaments Fusion free (or united at the very base) (?), united in an open sheath (?), united in a closed sheath (?) or united in an open sheath with one free stamen (?). Length Filament length NaN (?). Ovary Placement stipitate. Indumentum Presence glabrous. Style Indumentum glabrous, Bearded ( with a tuft of hairs at apex ) bearded (with a tuft of hairs at apex), Apex flattened at apex. Length Style length 7.5-8.5. Fruit Type dehiscent (a pod or follicle), Constriction not constricted between the seeds, Compression round in cross-section, Placement stipitate. Length Fruit length 18-20. Width Fruit width 4-5. Indumentum Presence glabrous. Flowering time May, June, July, August, September or October. Distribution Botanical Province Eremaean or South-West, IBRA Bioregion Great Sandy Desert, Pilbara, Carnarvon, Gascoyne, Little Sandy Desert, Yalgoo, Murchison, Great Victorian Desert, Coolgardie, Nullarbor or Geraldton Sandplains.

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

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Carnarvon, Coolgardie, Gascoyne, Geraldton Sandplains, Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert, Little Sandy Desert, Murchison, Nullarbor, Pilbara, Yalgoo.
IBRA Subregions
Ashburton, Augustus, Cape Range, Carlisle, Carnegie, Chichester, Eastern Goldfield, Eastern Murchison, Edel, Fortescue, Geraldton Hills, Hamersley, Mackay, Roebourne, Shield, Southern Cross, Trainor, Western Murchison, Wooramel.
IMCRA Regions
Pilbara (nearshore).
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Ashburton, Carnarvon, Chapman Valley, Coolgardie, Cue, East Pilbara, Exmouth, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Karratha, Laverton, Leonora, Meekatharra, Menzies, Mount Magnet, Murchison, Port Hedland, Sandstone, Shark Bay, Upper Gascoyne, Wiluna, Yilgarn.