Bossiaea heterophylla
Encyclopedia
Bossiaea heterophylla, known as the Variable Bossiaea is a species
of flowering plant
in the pea family (Fabaceae
) found in eastern Australia
. An upright shrub up to 80 cm tall.
It occurs from Wilsons Promontory
in Victoria
up through the coast and tablelands through New South Wales
and further to Queensland
. It has also been recorded in the north-western slopes and plains of New South Wales
. However, it's mostly seen in coastal areas north of Batemans Bay.
Usually found on sandy soils in a variety of habitats, such as heath or woodland. The specific epithet “heterophylla” means different leaf, as the leaf may take varying shapes. Such as round to almost almost linear, 10 to 30 mm long. Stems are flat. Flowers form from April to July, they are yellow and red, a common feature for this group of plants. Around 12 mm long on a short stalk appearing from where the leaf joins the stem. The pod is narrow oblong in shape, 2 to 4 cm long.
This plant was published by the French botanist Étienne Pierre Ventenat
, in his Description des Plantes Nouvelles et peu connues, cultivees dans le Jardin de J.M. Cels in the year 1800. From a plant quoted as being collected at Botany Bay in the year 1792.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
in the pea family (Fabaceae
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
) found in eastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. An upright shrub up to 80 cm tall.
It occurs from Wilsons Promontory
Wilsons Promontory
Wilsons Promontory is a peninsula that forms the southernmost part of the Australian mainland and is located at . South Point at is the southernmost tip of Wilsons Promontory and hence of mainland Australia...
in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
up through the coast and tablelands through New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and further to Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. It has also been recorded in the north-western slopes and plains of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. However, it's mostly seen in coastal areas north of Batemans Bay.
Usually found on sandy soils in a variety of habitats, such as heath or woodland. The specific epithet “heterophylla” means different leaf, as the leaf may take varying shapes. Such as round to almost almost linear, 10 to 30 mm long. Stems are flat. Flowers form from April to July, they are yellow and red, a common feature for this group of plants. Around 12 mm long on a short stalk appearing from where the leaf joins the stem. The pod is narrow oblong in shape, 2 to 4 cm long.
This plant was published by the French botanist Étienne Pierre Ventenat
Étienne Pierre Ventenat
Étienne Pierre Ventenat was a French botanist born in Limoges. He was the brother of naturalist Louis Ventenat ....
, in his Description des Plantes Nouvelles et peu connues, cultivees dans le Jardin de J.M. Cels in the year 1800. From a plant quoted as being collected at Botany Bay in the year 1792.