Carmichaelia astonii

Detailed description

Dwarf and spreading shrub, up to 0.2 × 0.5 m. Branches stout, ascending and horizontal, 10-25 mm diameter. Cladodes linear, striate, compressed, erect to spreading, green to green-bronze, frequently hairy when young (hairs sometimes retrorse), 30-95 × 4-8 mm; apex subacute to obtuse, yellow to yellow-green; leaf nodes 2-4. Leaves simple, obovate to oblanceolate, fleshy, green or green-bronze, present on seedlings, absent on adult plants, 6-8 × 2.0-5.5 mm; upper and lower surfaces hairy; apex emarginate to retuse; base cuneate; petiole hairy, c. 2 mm long. Leaves on cladodes reduced to a scale, triangular, glabrous, < 0.5 mm long; apex acute. Stipules free, triangular, 0.9-1.0 × 0.7-0.8 mm; upper surface glabrous; lower surface hairy, becoming glabrous with age; apex acute; margin hairy. Inflorescence a raceme, 1-4 per node, each with l-4 flowers. Peduncle hairy, green, 7-8 mm long. Bracts triangular, glabrous, pale green, < 1 mm long; apex acute; margin hairy. Pedicel hairy, pale green, 2.5-8.0 mm long. Bracteoles at top of pedicel, green and occasionally flushed red, < 0.5 mm long; apex acute; margin hairy. Calyx campanulate, 4.5-5.5 × c.2.0 mm; inner surface glabrous, green; outer surface hairy, green and occasionally flushed red. Calyx lobes narrow-triangular, green and usually flushed red, 2.0-2.5 mm long; adaxial surface densely hairy; apex acute; two upper lobes usually appressed to base of standard; three lower lobes spreading away from keel. Standard obovate, patent, positioned in central area of keel, weakly keeled, margins recurved, c.12 × c.8 mm; central area of upper surface purple, margins white, sometimes purple-veined; lower surface white with a darkened central part; claw pale green, c.3 mm long; apex emarginate and occasionally mucronulate. Wings oblong, shorter than keel, c.9.0 × c. 2.5 mm; distal area of upper surface purple, proximal area pale green; lower surface white, purple-veined; auricle triangular, pale green, 1.0-1.25 mm long; claw pale green, 2.5-3.0 mm long; apex acute. Keel c.10 × c.3.5 mm; distal area of upper surface purple, proximal area white or pale green; auricle triangular, pale green, c.1 mm long; apex obtuse; claw pale green, 3.5-4.0 mm long. Stamens 9-11.5 mm long. Pistil exserted beyond stamens, c.12 mm long; ovary weakly falcate, glabrous; ovules 8-16. Pod oblong or oblanceolate, compressed, light grey or brown, valves often partially dehiscent, 14.0-23.0 × 4.0-7.5 mm; beak stout, pungent, 1-2 mm long. Seeds oblong-reniform, 4-8 per pod, olive green, green-yellow, or dull yellow, occasionally with black mottling, 2.5-3.5 × 1.5-3.0 mm.