Bossiaea oxyclada is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is an erect, rigid shrub with flattened branches, cladodes ending with a sharp point, leaves mostly reduced to small scales, and golden yellow and deep red flowers.
| Bossiaea oxyclada | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Bossiaea |
| Species: | B. oxyclada
|
| Binomial name | |
| Bossiaea oxyclada | |
| |
| Range map generated from data at Australasian Virtual Herbarium | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
Bossiaea rufa var. oxyclada (Turcz.) Benth. | |
Description
editBossiaea oxyclada is an erect, rigid shrub that typically grows to 90 cm (35 in) high, 60 cm (24 in) wide and has flattened branches and cladodes 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) wide ending in a sharp point. The leaves on older growth are reduced to triangular scales 0.5–1 mm (0.020–0.039 in) long. New growth sometimes has more or less round leaves 4–20 mm (0.16–0.79 in) long and 4–12 mm (0.16–0.47 in) wide on a petiole 1.5–3.5 mm (0.059–0.138 in) long with stipules 1.7–3.5 mm (0.067–0.138 in) long at the base. The flowers are arranged singly in nodes on a pedicel 2.0–4.5 mm (0.079–0.177 in) long with overlapping, pinkish-brown bracts up to 1.3 mm (0.051 in) long at the base and bracteoles near the middle of the pedicels. The sepals are joined at the base forming a tube 2.0–4.1 mm (0.079–0.161 in) long, the two upper lobes slightly longer than the lower three lobes. The standard petal is golden yellow with a red base, 8.7–12.5 mm (0.34–0.49 in) long, the wings are 8.0–11.6 mm (0.31–0.46 in) long and the keel deep red and 8.2–11.2 mm (0.32–0.44 in) long. Flowering occurs from September to October and the fruit is pod 20–23 mm (0.79–0.91 in) long.[3][4]
Taxonomy and naming
editBossiaea oxyclada was first formally described in 1853 by Nikolai Turczaninow in the Bulletin de la Société impériale des naturalistes de Moscou from specimens collected by James Drummond.[5][6] The specific epithet (oxyclada) means "sharp branch".[7]
Distribution and habitat
editThis bossiaea is found in the western part of the Fitzgerald River National Park in the Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions, where it grows in a sandplain community with scattered eucalypts.[3][4]
Conservation status
editBossiaea oxyclada is classified as "Priority Four" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife,[3] meaning that it is rare or near threatened.[8]
References
edit- ^ Malcolm, P. (2012). "Bossiaea oxyclada". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012: e.T19891820A20029689. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T19891820A20029689.en. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Bossiaea oxyclada". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ^ a b c "Bossiaea oxyclada". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ a b Ross, James H. (2006). "A conspectus of the Western Australian Bossiaea species (Bossiaeeae: Fabaceae). Muelleria 23:". Muelleria. 11: 127–128. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ^ "Bossiaea oxyclada". APNI. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ^ Turcaaninow, Nikolai (1853). "Papilionaceae. Podalyrieae et Loteae Australasicae Non-Nullae, Hucusque non Descriptae". Bulletin de la Société impériale des naturalistes de Moscou: 284–285. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 268. ISBN 9780958034180.
- ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 18 August 2021.