Edwards's Botanical Register/Appendix to the first twenty-three volumes/A sketch of the vegetation of the Swan River Colony/Fabaceae or Leguminosae

by John Lindley

Fabaceæ or Leguminosæ.

The abundance of this order in all the colonized parts of New Holland is well known, as is the importance of its Wattles, or Acacias, to the settlers. Swan River is not deficient in its proportion of such plants, the great part of the species, and some of the genera, being peculiar to it.

One of the most curious characters of a secondary value, connected with Australian Fabaceæ, is the general presence of yellow in their flowers, and he very frequent stain of red or crimson found upon the keel and alæ, while the vexillum remains yellow; in these respects the Swan River Flora accords with that of other parts of the continent. There are however some cases of a peculiar deep blue in the whole of the flower, as in Hovea pungens, now not uncommon in our Gardens, H. chorozemæfolia and ilicifolia, and the still more beautiful Mirbelia floribunda,³⁹ which must form when in flower one shoot of azure; Mirbelia dilatata, R. Br., with bright purple flowers, seems to be abundant. The common genera, of which characteristic species exist here, are chiefly Acacia, Pultenæa, Oxylobium, Chorozema, Daviesia, Jacksonia, Burtonia, Gompholobium, Aotus, Zichya, Physolobium, Kennedya, and Hardenbergia; Frazer also speaks of a pendulous species of Viminaria, of considerable height, richly clothed with yellow and crimson flowers, by which it is probably that he intended to mention one of the species of Sphærolobium, which appear to be common here. Oxylobium seems one of the richest in species, and is particularly deserving notice on account of the singular wedge-shaped form of the leaves of O. dilatatum⁴⁰ and others. The Jacksonias are in most

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⁽³⁹⁾ Mirbelia (Diplolobium) floribunda; ramis pubescentibus, foliis sparsis linearibus brevibus obtusis apice uncinato-recurvis margine revolutis glabris, floribus ad apices ramulorum axillaribus subsessilibus, calycibus sericeo-villosis, ovario pluri-ovulato. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁴⁰⁾ Oxylobium parviflorum; foliis oblongo-linearibus cuneatisve retusis emarginatisve muticis, racemis axillaribus terminalibusque elongatis laxis, calycibus subsericeis, ovario 4-ovulato. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁴¹⁾ Oxylobium cuneatum; foliis cuneato-oblongis obtusis retusisve mucronulatis crassis coriaceis, racemis axillaribus dense capitatis multifloris, calycibus sericeo-villosis subferrugineis, ovario 4-ovulato. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁴²⁾ Oxylobium obovatum; foliis late obovato-cuneatis obtusis truncatis retusisve mucronulatis crassis coriaceis, racemis axillaribus dense capitatis multifloris, calycibus sericeo-villosis subferrugineis, ovario 4-ovulato. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁴³⁾ Oxylobium dilatatum; foliis basi angustatis apice dilatato-subbilobis mu-

cases plants of no beauty, but J. floribunda, Endl. and J. densiflora,⁴⁴ Benth. are very strange looking plants, with branches so like leaves that they would certainly be taken for them by an incautious observer. Pultenæas are not numerous; but Pultenæa ericifolia,⁴⁵ Benth. appears to be a common bush. Of Gastrolobia there are numerous species,⁴⁶ many of which are charming plants, with long racemes

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cronulatis crassis coriaceis, racemis axillaribus dense capitatis multifloris, calycibus sericeo-villosis subferrugineis, ovario 4-ovulato. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁴⁴⁾ Jacksonia densiflora; ramis teretibus villosis, ramulis sterilibus axillaribus phyllodineis oblongis ovatisve sinuato-dentatis spinosis undulatis rigidis junioribus molliter villosis, racemis densis terminalibus, laciniis calycinis lineari-lanceolatis crassis villosissimis corollam superantibus, carina petalis superioribus majore.—Affinis J. floribundæ, Endl. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁴⁵⁾ Pultenæa ericæfolia; ramis pubescentibus, stipulis persistentibus erectis, foliis sessilibus linearibus margine involutis subteretibus supra sulcatis muticis siccitate corrugatis glabris, capitulis terminalibus dense multifloris hinc inde proliferis, stipulis floralibus imbricatus per paria connatis in bracteas fuscas trifidas, laciniis ciliatis lateralibus lanceolatis intermedia subulata, bracteolis subulatis, calycis bilabiati laciniis subulatis ciliato-plumosis.—Affinis P. paleaceæ et P. aristatæ. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁴⁶⁾ Gastrolobium villosum; foliis oppositis ovato-lanceolatis obtusis setaceo-mucronatis margine undulato-crispis basi cordatis subtus ramisque molliter villosis, bracteis lanceolatis acutis fuscis deciduis calyce subbilabiato longioribus, ovario longiusculè stipitato villoso. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁴⁷⁾ Gastrolobium parvifolium; ramis pubescentibus, foliis ternis erectis oblongis obtusis mucronatis integerrimis crassis reticulatis glabris junioribus glaucis, racemis terminalibus, bracteis oblongis fuscis deciduis, calycis glabriusculi labio superiore lato emarginato, ovarii villosi stipite incrassata. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁴⁸⁾ Gastrolobium spinosum; glaberrimum, foliis oppositis sessilibus late ovato-cordatis sinuato-dentatis spinescentibus, racemis terminalibus, calycis labio superiore lato breviter bifido, ovario longiuscule stipitato villoso, legumine glabro. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁴⁹⁾ Gastrolobium cordatum; (Plate. V. B) foliis oppositis breviter petiolatis ovatis mucronatis integerrimis basi profunde cordatis junioribus sericeis adultis ramisque glabris, racemis terminalibus, calycis glabriusculi labio superiore lato emarginato, ovario stipitato sericeo, legumine glabro. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁵⁰⁾ Gastrolobium oxylobioides; foliis ternis oblongis, v. imis obovatis aristato-mucronatis integerrimis junioribus ramisque adpresse sericeis adultis glabratis, racemo terminali interrupto paucifloro, calycis sericei labio superiore lato bifido, ovario stipitato villosissimo; β glabrior, foliis angustioribus, floribus paucis. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁵¹⁾ Gastrolobium calycinum; ramis glabris, foliis ternis oppositisque lanceolatis oblongisve aristato-mucronatis integerrimis glaucis, racemis axillaribus terminalibusque laxis paucifloris, calycis ampli glabriusculi labio superiore latissimo bifido, ovario stipitato villosissimo, legumine villoso. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁵²⁾ Gastrolobium trilobum; glabrum, foliis oppositis ternisve crassis cuneato-

of flowers, yellow and brown. G. cordatum (Tab. V. B) has remarkably neat roundish cordate leaves, and must be worth cultivation for its foliage alone; while G. parvifolium is a beautiful little species, with small, concave, erect, imbricated leaves, whose veins are so arranged as to give them the appearance of being tessellated. Aotus cordifolius, Endl. is a curious plant, with cordate leaves and yellow flowers; and the Daviesias rival Acacia itself in the strangeness of their

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trilobis, lobis lato-lanceolatis integerrimis spinoso-mucronatis intermedio majore, racemis axillaribus terminalibusque numerosis laxis folio subæquilongis, calycis leviter sericei labio superiore longiore breviter bifido, ovario stipitato villoso.—Folia in hac specie insigniter, in affinibus obscurè pellucido-punctata. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁵³⁾ Gastrolobium obovatum; foliis oppositis sparsisve obovato-cuneatis acutis mucronatis integerrimis junioribus ramisque sericeis adultis glabratis, racemis axillaribus densis paucifloris, calycis sericei labio superiore bifido, ovario stipitato villoso. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁵⁴⁾ Gastrolobium spathulatum; foliis ternis sparsisve spathulatis apice dilatatis retusis v. emarginato-bilobis margine integerrimis basi longe angustatis junioribus ramisque sericeis adultis glabratis, racemis axillaribus abbreviatis subcapitatis, calycis sericei labio superiore emarginato-bifido, ovario stipitato villoso. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁵⁵⁾ Gastrolobium ? acutum; ramis villosis, foliis ternis ovatis acutis mucronato-pungentibus integerrimis, junioribus subsericeis adultis glabris, racemis abbreviatis axillaribus paucifloris, calyce villoso subbilabiato, ovario sessili villosissimo. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁵⁶⁾ Daviesia ramulosa; glabra, ramulis tereti-striatis angulatisve aphyllis, floriferis muticis minute bracteatis, sterilibus bi-trichotome ramosis apice spinescentibus, racemis terminalibus, calycibus bilabiatis labio superiore latissimo truncato inferiore acute tripartito. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁵⁷⁾ Daviesia angulata; glabra, ramis 4–5-gonis angulis hinc inde anguste alatis, foliis lineari-lanceolatis subfalcatis spinescentibus validis crassis substriatis basi non decurrentibus, racemulis plurifloris folio dimidio brevioribus.—Folia 8–9 lin. longa. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁵⁸⁾ Daviesia polyphylla; glabra, ramis angulatis, foliis lineari-oblongis subfalcatis spinescentibus brevibus validis crassis substriatis basi non decurrentibus, racemulis plurifloris folia subæquantibus.—Folia 3–4 lin. long. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁵⁹⁾ Daviesia quadrilatera; glabra, glauca, ramis teretibus, foliis oblongo-quadrilateralibus planis verticalibus angulo inferiore affixis, angulo superiore interiore rotundato exterioribus spinescentibus, spina superioris sursum inferioris deorsum tendente, racemulis plurifloris folio sublongioribus.—Folia, formæ singularis, his longiora quam lata. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁶⁰⁾ Daviesia pedunculata; humilis, ramis subteretibus pubescentibus, foliis oblongis utrinque angustatis apice aristato-spinescentibus glabris, pedunculis folio pluries longioribus apice umbelliferis. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁶¹⁾ Daviesia longifolia; glabra, foliis longe linearibus compressis striatis apice subincurvis muticis, racemulis axillaribus laxis folio brevioribus.—Folia 3–6 pollicaria, 1–2 lin. lata. (Benth. mss.)

foliage; D. quadrilatera has leaves which look more like objects prepared to puzzle a geometrician than any thing already known in the vegetable kingdom.

Of Acacia numerous species occur, among which are A. alata and pulchella, both varying with smooth and hispid foliage; the greater part of the species are peculiar to the Colony. A. diptera⁶² is a singular slender leafless plant, with the branchlets two-winged, glaucous, and bordered with a strong edge; A. squamata⁶³ has the tips of the phyllodia curved like a bird's head, and its flowers appear to be brown; A. extensa⁶⁴ is a graceful plant, with racemes 6–9 inches long, composed of alternate capitules, and slender angular falcate phyllodia; finally, A. auronitens⁶⁵ is a most beautiful stiff spiny bush, with flowers of the deepest yellow; like others it varies from being quite smooth to being covered with rough hairs.

There is one species of the beautiful genus Lalage,⁶⁸ and two of Labichea,⁶⁹ both of which are peculiar to the Colony.

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⁽⁶²⁾ Acacia diptera; ramis foliaceis angustis bialatis glaucis marginatis foliorum loco in lobis falcatis apice mucronatis inflexis productis, stipulis nullis, pedunculis monocephalis racemosisque ancipitibus, capitulis pedunculatis.

⁽⁶³⁾ Acacia squamata; ramis phyllodiisque rectis apice recurvis eglandulosis acutis teretibus glabris, stipulis nullis, capitulis geminatis ternisve pedunculatis e squamis imbricatis deciduis erumpentibus, filamentis discoloribus!

⁽⁶⁴⁾ Acacia extensa; ramis glabris subtetragonis angulis incrassatis asperis, phyllodiis longissimis falcatis teretibus angulatis apice obliquè mucronatis infra medium glandulosis, racemis, erectis longissimis angulatis, pedicellis alternis æquidistantibus ascendentibus monocephalis, filamentis discoloribus.

⁽⁶⁵⁾ Acacia auronitens; ramis teretibus glabratis hirsutisque, phyllodiis lincari-oblongis acinaciformibus marginatis apice spinosis unicostatis sæpius in medio margine superiore glandulosis, stipulis spinosis, capitulis solitariis, pedunculis phyllodio longioribus.—Formæ 2 adsunt quarum altera glabrata capitulis longiùs pedunculatis, altera hirsuta phyllodis angustioribus, pedunculis brevioribus, filamentis minus intensè aureis.

⁽⁶⁶⁾ Acacia oncinophylla; ramis angulatis, phyllodis longissimis linearibus duris terstriatis basi angustatis apice retrorsùm hamatis supra basin glandulosis, stipulis nullis, spicis amentiformibus geminatis phyllodiis multò brevioribus.

⁽⁶⁷⁾ Acacia Drummondii; sericea, inermis, foliis bipinnatis, pinnis bijngis, foliolis 2–3-jugis oblongo-linearibus obtusis, petiolis acutis marginatis eglandulosis, spicis axillaribus cernuis simplicibus pedunculatis foliis longioribus.

⁽⁶⁸⁾ Lalage hoveæfolia; laxe pubescens, foliis oblongis lanceolatisve mucronulatis basi subcordatis, bracteis ovato-lanceolatis sericeis, calycis laciniis supremis vix ad medium connatis. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁶⁹⁾ Labichea punctata; suffruticosa, foliis simplicibus oblongo-ellipticis utrinque angustatis mucronatis, utrinque punctatis subtus leviter puberulis, racemis folio brevioribus, anthera utraque obtusa biporosa, ovario sericeo-villoso.—Rami apice compressi. (Benth. mss.)

A few Fabaceous genera seem confined to the Colony. Of these the curious Isotropis striata, Benth. is a little prostrate bush, with its sterile branches so different from those which bear flowers that one would never suppose them to belong to the same species. Roea and Dichosema are two others of little beauty, to which have to be added Orthotropis⁷⁰ and Ptychosema⁷¹ of Mr. Bentham's herbarium, neither of which possess the slightest interest for horticultural purposes; and Cyclogyne,⁷² which is quite a new form for Australia, and calls to mind the European species of Onobrychis;

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⁽⁷⁰⁾ Orthotropis pungens. Calyx basi attenuatus, profunde bilabiatus, labio superiore breviter bifido, inferiore breviore tripartito. Corollæ vexillum late orbiculatum, alis parum longius; alæ oblongæ. Carina oblonga subrecta acuminata alis brevior. Ovarium breviter stipitatum, villosum, pluriovulatum. Stylus brevis, incurvus, glaber. Stigma capitatum. Legumen . . . . .—Suffrutex humilis basi ramosus, ramis adscendentibus pubescentibus. Folia exstipulata, alterna, sessilia, lineari-lanceolata, acutissima, pungentia, integerrima, marginata, coriacea. Flores pedicellati, in axillis superioribus vel ad apices ramorum racemosi. Calyces pilosi, labio superiore concavo dentibus acutis. Petala ex sicco lutea. Discus staminifer ad tertiam fere partem calycis attingit.—Genus hinc Isotropidi inde Chorozemati affine, ab utroque præcipue habitu et carina distinctum. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁷¹⁾ Ptychosema pusillum. Calyx turbinato-campanulatus bilabiatus labio superiore lato breviter bifido inferiore tripartito, Vexillum explanatum orbiculatum striatum alis longius. Alæ oblongæ. Carina alis parum brevior subrecta obtusa, petalis dorso connatis apice liberis. Stamina monadelpha: vagina supra fissa. Antheræ uniformes. Ovarium subsessile compressum pluriovulatum glaber. Stylus brevis uncinatus. Stigma terminale capitatum. Legumen . . . . . Herba pusilla decumbens pilis sparsis longiusculis hinc inde onusta. Stipulæ parvæ. Folia impari-pinnata, foliolis 5–9 oblongo-linearibus obovatisve obtusiusculis, viridibus siccitate complicatis, venis subtus prominulis. Pedunculi terminales uniflori. Bracteolæ 2 parvæ oppositæ a calyce remotæ. Calyx pilosus et corollæ fere Isotropidis. (Benth. mss.)

⁽⁷²⁾ Cyclogyne canescens. Calyx campanulatus semiquinquefidus laciniis inæqualibus. Vexillum orbiculatum emarginatum complicatum basi nudum petalis inferioribus longius. Alæ breves oblongæ. Carina alis longior valde incurva obtusa, petalis a basi connatis. Stamina distincte diadelpha. Antheræ consimiles, alternæ eminentes. Ovarium breviter stipitatum villosum pluriovulatum. Stylus incurvus, apice circinato-involutus latere interiore stigmatifer et longe barbatus. Legumen (junius) inflatum oblongum uniloculare intus nudum.—Herba videtur perennis, habitu Phaearum nonnullarum Americanarum. Caulis erectus flexuosus tomentoso-villosus. Stipulæ foliaceæ late semicordatæ. Folia impari-pinnata. Foliola 13–15 obovato-oblonga, supra glabriuscula, subtus laxe canescenti-villosa. Pedunculi erecti multiflori, folio longiores. Flores subsessiles sparsi v. pseudo-verticillati. Calyces et legumina juniora cano-villosissima. Petala glabra ex sicco cœrulescentia?—Genus Galegearum. (Benth. mss.)

its flowers are arranged on long peduncles, and seem to be white tinged with violet.