Bossiaea saxosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to a restricted area near Norseman, Western Australia. It is an erect, intricately branched shrub with many slightly flattened, sharply-pointed cladodes and deep yellow, red and lemon-yellow, pea-like flowers.
| Bossiaea saxosa | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Bossiaea |
| Species: | B. saxosa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Bossiaea saxosa | |
Description
editBossiaea saxosa is an erect, intricately-branched shrub that typically grows up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) high and wide with hairy young growth. The branches are slightly flattened, ending in sharply pointed cladodes 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) wide. The leaves, when present, are reduced to dark, reddish-brown scales 0.7–1 mm (0.028–0.039 in) long. The flowers are arranged singly at nodes along the cladodes, each flower on a hairy pedicel up to 5 mm (0.20 in) long with egg-shaped bracts up to 1 mm (0.039 in) long at the base and egg-shaped bracteoles 0.8–1.3 mm (0.031–0.051 in) long on the pedicels. The five sepals are hairy and joined at the base, forming a tube 1.6–3.5 mm (0.063–0.138 in) long, the two upper lobes 1.6–3.0 mm (0.063–0.118 in) long and the lower lobes 1.2–2.0 mm (0.047–0.079 in) long. The standard petal is deep yellow with a red base and 7.2–9.6 mm (0.28–0.38 in) long, the wings deep yellow and 6.6–8.2 mm (0.26–0.32 in) long, and the keel lemon-yellow and 3.5–4.5 mm (0.14–0.18 in) long. Flowering occurs from September to early October and the fruit is an oblong pod 13–21 mm (0.51–0.83 in) long.[2][3]
Taxonomy and naming
editBossiaea saxosa was first formally described in 1994 by James Henderson Ross in the journal Muelleria from specimens he collected near Norseman in 2000.[3][4] The specific epithet (saxosa) means "of rocky or stony places".[3]
Distribution and habitat
editThis bossiaea is only known from a small area north of Norseman where it grows in woodland.[2][3]
Conservation status
editBossiaea saxosa is classified as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions,[2] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Bossiaea saxosa". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- ^ a b c "Bossiaea saxosa". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ a b c d Ross, James H. (2006). "A conspectus of the Western Australian Bossiaea species (Bossiaeeae: Fabaceae). Muelleria 23:". Muelleria. 11: 129–130. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- ^ "Bossiaea saxosa". APNI. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 31 August 2021.