Daviesia pauciflora Crisp (1991a: 257)

Crisp, Michael D., Cayzer, Lindy, Chandler, Gregory T. & Cook, Lyn G., 2017, A monograph of Daviesia (Mirbelieae, Faboideae, Fabaceae), Phytotaxa 300 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

17. Daviesia pauciflora Crisp (1991a: 257) , Crisp (1995: 1220). Type [approximate locality data given because the species is rare]: Western Australia, near Esperance , A.E. Orchard 1561, 16 October 1968. Holotype: AD; isotypes: CANB, MEL, PERTH

Diffuse, multi-stemmed shrubs, 0.3–0.8 m tall, glabrous. Root anatomy unknown. Branchlets ascending, ribbed, initially compressed horizontally, becoming terete. Phyllodes sparsely scattered, ascending to erect, continuous with and resembling branchlets, linear, straight, compressed, apically obtuse, mucronate, tapering to base, to 400 × 1–1.5 mm, with 3 primary and 0–2 secondary parallel ribs along each face, green. Unit inflorescences sparse on plant, 1(2) per axil, racemose or occasionally shortly paniculate by reduction of the uppermost 2 or 3 phyllodes to bracts, 1–3(–4)-flowered, mostly with a pair of flowers at the apex of the rachis; peduncle 1–13 mm long; rachis from almost nil to 5 mm long; subtending bracts appressed, ovate, 1–1.5 mm long, keeled. Pedicels 1.5–10 mm long. Calyx somewhat flared at top, 4–5 mm long including the 1–2 mm stipe-like receptacle to which it is contracted; ribs obscure; lobes very shallowly triangular, apiculate, ca. 1 mm long, upper 2 united slightly higher than lower 3, apex of lobes tinged purple-brown. Corolla : standard transversely broadly elliptic, strongly emarginate, cordate, ca. 8 × 10 mm including the 2 mm claw, mostly yellow with red towards the centre and an intense yellow oblong marking at the centre; wings obovate, constricted in the middle, very obtuse and incurved at the apex, strongly auriculate, ca. 6 × 3 mm including the ca. 2 mm claw, dark red with orange margins at tips; keel half very broadly obovate, subobtuse, auriculate, saccate, ca. 5 × 2 mm including the ca. 2 mm claw, dull brownish. Stamens strongly dimorphic: inner whorl of 5 with subterete filaments and versatile, ovoid anthers with confluent thecae; outer whorl of 5 with compressed filaments and basifixed, obloid, 2-celled anthers; filaments free. Pod obliquely shallowly obtriangular, acuminate, strongly compressed, 11–14 × 5.5–6 mm, faintly reticulate, greenish brown; sutures slightly thickened, upper suture sigmoid; lower suture acute. Seed ellipsoid, ca. 4.25 long, ca. 2.5 broad, ca. 1.5 mm thick, pale yellow mottled with black; aril ovate in outline, crenulate, ca. 2 mm long. ( Fig. 19 ).

Flowering period:— October to January. Fruiting period: January.

Distribution:— Along the south coast of Western Australia from the Munglinup area to east of Esperance and inland for a short distance.

Habitat:— Grows in white or grey sand over hard laterite or limestone in tall dense heath dominated by Banksia speciosa Brown (1810b: 210) or Lambertia inermis Brown (1810b: 188) , with Adenanthos Labillardière (1805 : t. 36), Allocasuarina and species of Melaleuca Linnaeus (1767: 509) .

Conservation status:— National: Not listed. WA: Priority 3, possibly threatened or near-threatened but not yet adequately surveyed.

Selected specimens (25 examined):— Approximate locality data are given because the species is rare. WESTERN AUSTRALIA. Roe: Ca. 100 km ENE of Ravensthorpe , 33°30’S, 121°10’E, M. A . Burgman 4525, 9 October 1984 ( CANB, PERTH). Eyre: W of Esperance towards Ravensthorpe , 33°40’S, 121°20’E, M . D. Crisp 4925, 8 January 1979 ( AD, CBG, MEL, NSW, PERTH); ibid., M . D. Crisp 4926, 8 January 1979 ( CBG, K, PERTH); ibid., M . D. Crisp 4927, 8 January 1979 ( CBG, PERTH); W of Esperance towards Ravensthorpe , 33°40’S, 121°E, M . D. Crisp 4934, 8 January 1979 ( CBG, PERTH); E of Shoal Cape , 33°50’S, 121°10’E, G . Maxwell s.n. ( MEL 79036–7 , NSW 34714 , PERTH); E of Esperance , 33°50’S, 122°20’E, R . D. Royce 8251, 24 November 1964 ( PERTH) .

A MONOGRAPH OF DAVIESIA

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Affinity:— Daviesia pauciflora is very similar to both D. longifolia and D. costata , which are themselves closely similar. All three species have a low, multi-stemmed habit, linear, decurrent, ribbed phyllodes, racemose inflorescences with 2 or more flowers forming partial umbels at the apex of the rachis and closely comparable bracts, flowers and fruits.

The shape of the calyx serves to distinguish D. longifolia from D. pauciflora . In D. longifolia , the upper 2 lobes differ from the lower 3 in being larger and recurved at the tips, whereas in D. pauciflora the calyx lobes are

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all alike and not recurved. The profile of the calyx of D. longifolia differs from that of D. pauciflora in being ventricose on the upper side. Another character distinguishing these two species is the size of the inflorescence. In D. longifolia , the racemes are usually longer (rachis usually 6–28 mm long, peduncle usually 10–17 mm long) and bear more flowers (usually 4–11). When the racemes of D. longifolia appear to have fewer than 4 flowers, it is usually because buds have fallen at an earlier stage of development. In addition, D. longifolia differs in having irregularly curved or sinuous phyllodes, a truncate base to the standard, parallel wings that often overlap at the apices and smaller pods (7–12 mm long).

Daviesia costata is distinguished from D. pauciflora by its prominently 10-ribbed calyx, the depressed-ovate standard that appears bilobed, wings that are not constricted in the middle and the vestigial auricles on the keel.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Daviesia pauciflora. A. Flowering branchlet. B. Inflorescence. C. Flower with subtending bract. D. Calyx opened out, upper lobes at left. E. Standard. F. Wings. G. Keel. H. Same, opened out. I. Pod. A, I from Crisp 4926; B–H from Crisp 4925. Drawn by B-J. Osborne and D. Fortescue. Adapted from Crisp (1991a) with permission from CSIRO Publishing.