Daviesia leptophylla A.Cunn. ex Don (1832: 125)

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

49. Daviesia leptophylla A.Cunn. ex Don (1832: 125) , Crisp (1991a: 260), Jeanes (1996: 758), Crisp (2002: 524), Craigie (2015: 31). Type: ‘Native of New Holland...Clt. 1824.’ Neotype ( Crisp 1986: 662): New South Wales, Central Tablelands, 13 km from Kelso along road to Sofala, 33°19’S, 149°31’E, M.D. Crisp 7502 & J.M. Taylor, 30 October 1984 (CBG); isoneotype: AD, CANB, K, MEL, NSW

A MONOGRAPH OF DAVIESIA

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Daviesia corymbosa Smith (1805: 507) var. stjohnii Anonymous (1906: 133) , nom. nud.—according to Ewart (1908: 130), this is D. corymbosa var. virgata (= D. leptophylla ).

Daviesia virgata A.Cunn. ex Hooker (1832 : t. 3196). Daviesia corymbosa Sm. var. virgata (A.Cunn. ex Hook.) Ewart (1908: 130) . Type: ‘This is another of the numerous interesting discoveries of Mr. ALLAN CUNNINGHAM, by whom it was introduced to the Royal Gardens at Kew, whence it was kindly communicated by Mr. AITON. It inhabits the more elevated, dry, barren parts of the Blue Mountains of New Holland, where it flowers in October.’ Type: cult. from N. Holl., Hort. Kew, ex Herb. Hookerianum 1867. Holotype: K.

[ Daviesia corymbosa Smith (1805: 507) var. mimosoides ( Brown 1811: 20) Bentham (1864: 77) , partly.]

[ Daviesia corymbosa auct . non Sm.: Mueller (1888: 203, partly), Moore & Betche (1893: 133), Black (1924: 296), Black (1948: 435)]

Broom-like, multi-stemmed shrubs, to 1.5 (2) m tall, glabrous. Root anatomy normal (unistelar). Branchlets rigid, erect, angular-terete, ribbed, occasionally leafless towards tips. Phyllode scattered, erect or rarely spreading, linearobovate to linear-elliptic, apically acute or obtuse, mucronate, slightly recurved at margins, tapered to base, articulate, 0–90(–110) × 0–6(–10) mm, convex above, dull yellow-green; venation conspicuous, longitudinal, with a more prominent nerve near each margin; stipules present but minute, subulate, 0.1–0.5 mm long. Unit inflorescences (1)2(–4) per axil, subcorymbose, 5–10-flowered; peduncle 1.3–5(–10) mm long; rachis 1.5–6(–10) mm long; subtending bracts appressed, subulate, with margins incurved, 0.8–1 mm long. Pedicels 1–2.5(–4) mm long. Calyx 3.4–4.7 mm long including the 1.25–2.5 mm receptacle; upper 2 lobes united in a truncate, scarcely emarginate lip, 0.75–1.5 mm long; lower 3 lobes shallowly to very shallowly triangular, 0.5–0.75 mm long, ± tinged purple at the acute apices. Corolla : standard transversely broadly elliptic, emarginate, 6–6.5 × 6–7 mm including the 1.5–2 mm claw, bright yellow with maroon infusion surrounding an intensely yellow, bilobed, spot at centre; wings obovate, rounded and incurved at apex but not enclosing the keel, auriculate, 5.5–6 × 2–2.5 mm including the 1.5–2 mm claw, dark red with orange tips and margins; keel half very broadly obovate to depressed-obovate, acute, auriculate, saccate, 4.0–4.5 × 2.0– 2.25 mm including the 1.5–1.75 mm claw, dark red. Stamens strongly dimorphic: inner whorl of 5 with longer, terete filaments and discoid, versatile anthers with confluent thecae; outer whorl of 5 with broader, compressed filaments and compressed ovoid, basifixed, 2-celled anthers; filaments free. Pod obliquely shallowly obtriangular, acute to nearly obtuse, compressed, 5–10 × 3.5–6 mm, faintly reticulate, light brown, slightly lustrous; upper suture strongly sigmoid; lower suture sharply curved. Seed compressed, elliptic-reniform in outline, 2.5–3.5 mm long, 1.4–2.2 mm broad, 0.8–1.3 mm thick, chestnut with black mottling or almost all black; aril thickly lobed, 1–1.4 mm long. ( Fig. 49 ).

Chromosome number:— n = 9 (voucher Sands 6110.2.4, cited as D. virgata by Sands 1975).

Common name:— Narrow-leaf Bitter-pea.

Flowering period:— August to December. Fruiting period: November to January.

Distribution:— Widespread in the tablelands and slopes (occasionally coast) of New South Wales from Nundle southwards, throughout Victoria except the north-west, and in the southern districts of South Australia (mainly Kangaroo Island and the Mt Lofty–Flinders Ranges), with a single old record from Eyre Peninsula at Yeelanna.

Habitat:— Grows on dry open sites, usually on skeletal soils, in shrubland or dry (less commonly moist) eucalypt forest. Dominant species in the vegetation are so varied over the wide range of this species that it is impossible to summarise them. Elevation ranges from sea level to 1400 m.

Selected specimens (701 examined):— SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Flinders Ranges: 2 km SE of St Mary Peak , 31°31’S, 138°34’E, M . D. Crisp 831, 31 August 1974 ( AD, CBG, MEL, NSW); Wilpena Pound , 31°32’S, 138°33’E, M . D. Crisp 835, 31 August 1974 ( CBG); 18 km W of Yongala , 33°00’S, 138°35’E, M. G . Catford s.n., 15 November 1975 ( AD, CBG 60502 ). Lofty South : 8 km E of Aldgate, 35°02’S, 138°44’E, M . D. Crisp 1869, 27 December 1975 ( CBG, MO); 2 km N of Goolwa , 35°29’S, 138°46’E, M . D. Crisp 1870, 31 December 1976 ( CBG, NSW, MEL); ibid., M . D. Crisp 1871, 31 December 1976 ( CBG); ibid., M . D. Crisp 1872, 31 December 1976 ( AD, BRI, CBG); ibid., M . D. Crisp 1873, 31 December 1976 ( CBG). Kangaroo Island : 35 km SW of Kingscote, 35°52’S, 137°20’E, G . Jackson 628, 5 October 1969 ( AD) . NEW SOUTH WALES. South-west Slopes: 20 km from Ardlethan, 34°21’S, 147°13’E, G . Butler 849, 3 October 1978 ( CBG); 20 km W of Temora , 34°14’S, 146°14’E, M . D. Crisp 1655, 20 November 1975 ( AD, CBG). Central-west Slopes: Tomingley , 32°38’S, 148°19’E, R . Coveny 10303, 17 October 1978 ( CANB, NSW). Central Tablelands: Bathurst, toward Sofala , 33°12’S, 149°41’E, M . D. Crisp 7262 & I. R . Telford, 26 September 1984 ( CBG, MEL, NSW, PERTH); 0.5 km S of Peel , 33°19’S, 149°38’E, M . D. Crisp 7502, 30 October 1984 ( AD, CBG, K, MEL, NSW). Southern Tablelands :

118 • Phytotaxa 300 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press

CRISP ET AL.

A MONOGRAPH OF DAVIESIA

Phytotaxa 300 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press • 119 Endrick River Bridge, SE, 35°05’S, 150°07’E, M . D. Crisp 2302 & D. J . Cummings, 18 November 1976 ( CBG, MEL, NSW, PERTH); Cullerin Range, Lachlan River , 35°45’S, 149°24’E, M . D. Crisp 2311 & I. R . Telford, 19 November 1976 ( AD, BRI, CBG); 4.2 km N of Cullerin , 35°45’S, 149°24’E, M . D. Crisp 2312, 19 November 1976 ( CBG, NSW); ibid., M . D. Crisp 2313, 19 November 1976 ( CBG, MEL); ibid., M . D. Crisp 2314, 19 November 1976 ( BISH, CBG); 2.1 km S of Oak Hill , 35°10’S, 149°09’E, M . D. Crisp 2356, 23 November 1976 ( CBG); ibid., M . D. Crisp 2357, 23 November 1976 ( CBG); ibid., M . D. Crisp 2358, 23 November 1976 ( CBG); ibid., M . D. Crisp 2359, 23 November 1976 ( CBG, MO); Gungahlin Hill , 35°13’S, 149°07’E, M . D. Crisp 8255, 5 December 1988 ( AD, CBG, MO); ibid., M . D. Crisp 8256, 5 December 1988 ( BISH, CBG, MEL, NSW); Little Peppercorn Plain , 35°34’S, 148°37’E, I. R . Telford 6917, 9 December 1977 ( CBG); Brindabella Valley , 35°23’S, 148°46’E, H . Thompson 893 & J . Hewat, 22 January 1987 ( CBG); Kydra Reefs Fire Trail , 36°23’S, 149°20’E, M . D. Tindale 4000 et al., 17 January 1975 ( NSW). VICTORIA. Western Highlands : Lerderderg Gorge, 37°30’S, 144°22’E, J. H . Willis s.n., 13 October 1963 ( MEL 501879 ). Western Plains : Bacchus Marsh, 10 km W toward Ingliston, alongside north-western railway, 0.5 km after level crossing, 37°38’S, 144°21’E, J. H . Ross 2455, 11 November 1976 ( BRI, MEL). Eastern Highlands : E of the Christmas Hills, 37°39’S, 145°21’E, H. I . Aston 460, 2 December 1959 ( MEL); Warrandyte , 37°45’S, 145°13’E, G. W . Carr 7171, 26 September 1976 ( CANB, MO); 3 km SW of Highlands , 37°10’S, 145°27’E, T. B . Muir 3518, 27 October 1964 ( MEL); Tamboritha Saddle , 37°29’S, 146°42’E, P . McDonnell 444, ( CANB). Gippsland : Mottle Range Road, 37°39’S, 148°13’E, A. C . Beauglehole 33956, 7 September 1970 ( CANB, MEL); Buchan to Bruthen road, 37°40’S, 148°03’E, A. C . Beauglehole 35386, 12 December 1970 ( MEL); 14 km from Nowa toward Buchan , 37°34’S, 148°08’E, E. F . Constable 5342, 29 October 1964 ( NSW) .

Affinity:— Despite the long history of confusion between D. leptophylla , D. corymbosa and D. mimosoides (see synonymy above), these species are readily distinguishable. Indeed, none is especially closely related to either of the others ( Fig. 1A ). The phyllodes of both D. corymbosa and D. mimosoides lack the diagnostic pair of raised longitudinal veins seen in D. leptophylla . In D. corymbosa , the venation is prominently reticulate, and in D. mimosoides , it is pinnate. Also, both these species lack the slight recurving of the leaf margins seen in D. leptophylla , although their phyllode margins can be undulate. While D. mimosoides cannot be distinguished from D. leptophylla in reproductive morphology, D. corymbosa differs from both in having a larger inflorescence with a distinctive gap between the bracts along the peduncle, large spreading bracts and larger flowers.

The two Western Australian species, D. grahamii and D. newbeyi , are very similar to D. leptophylla , though not especially closely related ( Fig. 1A ). With it they share the unique character (within the D. latifolia group) of slightly recurved phyllode margins, as well as longitudinal venation and a broom-like habit. Both D. grahamii and D. newbeyi differ from D. leptophylla in having fewer than 3 flowers per unit inflorescence and acuminate calyx-lobes. Additionally, D. grahamii has conspicuous recurved stipules.

Variation:— Over its wide range of distribution and habitat, D. leptophylla varies a great deal in some characters. Phyllodes vary in outline from blunt and tapering towards the base to long-acute and tapering towards the apex, and there is a great deal of variation in their length and breadth. The tendency of phyllodes to reduce towards the branchlet apex reaches an extreme in which some plants appear almost leafless (e.g. Telford 6917). Floral parts, fruits and seeds vary considerably in size, although little in shape. Most of this variation appears to be local (compare Beauglehole 35386 with Constable 5342, and Crisp 831 with Crisp 835) rather than showing regional differences. Exceptionally, specimens from South Australia, especially the southern districts, tend to have phyllodes that are longer, broader and more frequently obtuse than elsewhere. However, these differences are not sufficiently pronounced or consistent to justify the erection of a separate taxon. A large number of specimens have been cited above to encompass all the variation in D. leptophylla .

Hybrids:— Daviesia laevis × D. leptophylla , D. latifolia × D. leptophylla , D. laxiflora × D. leptophylla , D. leptophylla × D. mimosoides ( Crisp 1991a) .

Figures

FIGURE 1A. Phylogeny (part) of Daviesia estimated using maximum likelihood (PHYML) from concatenated sequences of ITS (nrDNA), and ndhF and trnL–trnF (cpDNA). The tree was rooted using the monotypic sister groups Viminaria and Erichsenia (not shown). The informal clade names are used for reference in the taxonomic treatment. Numbers on branches show non-bootstrap support. The tips are labelled with the taxon name and sample accession number.

FIGURE 49. Daviesia leptophylla. A. Fruiting branchlet. B. Phyllode, upper (adaxial) surface. C. Same, lower (abaxial) surface. D. Inflorescence. E. Flower. F. Calyx opened out, upper lobes at left. G. Standard. H. Wings. I. Keel, opened out. J. Pod. K. Seed, lateral view. A from Crisp 8255; B–I from Crisp 7502; J, K from Thompson 893. Drawn by D. Fortescue. Adapted from Crisp (1991a) with permission from CSIRO Publishing.