Kingdom Plantae Family Fabaceae Scientific name Bossiaea heterophylla | Order Fabales Genus Bossiaea Rank Species | |
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Similar Bossiaea ensata, Bossiaea scolopendria, Bossiaea, Bossiaea rhombifolia, Bossiaea foliosa | ||
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 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.