Carmichaelia monroi

Detailed description

Dwarf, spreading shrub, up to 0.15–0.25 × 0.40–1.00 m. Branches stout, ascending and horizontal, 10–35 mm diameter. Cladodes linear, striate, compressed, erect to spreading, green to green-bronze, often hairy when young, glabrous at maturity, 22–75 × 2–6 mm; apex obtuse, yellow, green, bronze, or red; leaf nodes 2–4. Leaves simple, oblanceolate, fleshy, green to green-bronze, present on seedlings and occasionally mature plants, 5.0–8.0 × 2.0–4.5 mm; both surfaces with scattered hairs; apex emarginate to retuse; base cuneate; petiole glabrous or sparsely hairy, 1.5–2 mm long. Leaves on cladodes reduced to a scale, broadly triangular, glabrous, 0.5–0.6 × 0.9–1.1 mm; apex obtuse. Stipules free, broad-triangular, 0.25–0.40 × 0.75–0.90 mm; upper surface glabrous; lower surface hairy, becoming glabrous with age; apex subacute; margin hairy. Inflorescence a raceme 1–2 per node, each with 1–3 flowers. Peduncle hairy, green, 6–8 mm long. Bracts triangular, glabrous, pale green to tan, < 0.5 mm long; apex acute; margin hairy. Pedicel hairy, pale green, 3–4 mm long. Bracteoles at base of calyx sometimes absent, glabrous, < 0.4 mm long; apex subacute; margin hairy. Calyx campanulate, 2.5–3.0 × c. 2.0 mm; inner surface glabrous, green; outer surface hairy, green. Calyx lobes triangular, green and often flushed red, < 1 mm long; outer surface densely hairy; apex acute, often black; margin hairy. Standard obovate, patent when young, reflexed at maturity, positioned at proximal area of keel, keeled, 6-7 × 5-6 mm; distal and central areas of upper surface purple, proximal area pale green, margins white, sometimes purple-veined; distal and central area of lower surface white, proximal area pale green, sometimes purple-veined; apex retuse; margins recurved; claw pale green, c. 3 mm long. Wings oblong, shorter than keel, 7–8 × c. 2 mm; distal and central areas of adaxial surface purple, proximal area green; distal and central areas of abaxial surface white, proximal area pale green; auricle triangular, pale green, apex subacute, c. 1 mm long; claw pale green, c. 2 mm long. Keel 8.5–10.0 × 3.0–4.0 mm; distal and central areas of upper surface purple, proximal area pale green; auricle triangular, pale green, with subacute apex, c. 1.5 mm long; claw pale green, 3.0–3.5 mm long. Stamens 8.5–10.0 mm long; lower filaments connate for c. ⅔ length and outside filaments free for 2.5–3.5 mm. Pistil slightly exserted beyond stamens, 8.5–11.0 mm long; style bearded on upper surface; ovary weakly falcate, glabrous; ovules 11–12. Pod oblong or oblanceolate, laterally compressed, often weakly falcate, brown, dark brown, or black, usually indehiscent, 11.0–15.0 × 3.5–5.5 mm; beak on adaxial suture, stout, pungent, < 1 mm long. Seeds oblong-reniform, 3–11 per pod, dull yellow or orange, brown-green, or olive green, often with black mottling, 2.0–2.5 × 1.5–2.0 mm.