Bossiaea heterophylla

Bossiaea heterophylla, known as the Variable Bossiaea[1] is a species of flowering plant in the pea family (Fabaceae) found in eastern Australia. An upright shrub up to 80 cm tall.

Variable Bossiaea
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Genus:	Bossiaea
Species:	B. heterophylla
Binomial name
Bossiaea heterophylla Vent.
Occurrence data from AVH

It occurs from Wilsons Promontory in Victoria up through the coast and tablelands through New South Wales and further to Queensland.[2][3] It has also been recorded in the north-western slopes and plains of New South Wales. However, it's mostly seen in coastal areas north of Batemans Bay.

Usually found on sandy soils in a variety of habitats, such as heath or woodland. The specific epithet “heterophylla” means different leaf, as the leaf may take varying shapes. Such as round to almost linear, 10 to 30 mm long.[3] Stems are flat. Flowers form from April to July, they are yellow and red, a common feature for this group of plants. Around 12 mm long on a short stalk appearing from where the leaf joins the stem. The pod is narrow oblong in shape, 2 to 4 cm long.

This plant was published by the French botanist Étienne Pierre Ventenat, in his Description des Plantes Nouvelles et peu connues, cultivees dans le Jardin de J.M. Cels in the year 1800. From a plant quoted as being collected at Botany Bay in the year 1792.

References

1. Alan Fairley – Wildflowers of Sydney & adjoining areas ISBN 1-876473-38-X page 57
2. Wild Plants of Victoria (database). Viridans Biological Databases & Department of Sustainability and Environment. 2009.
3. "Bossiaea heterophylla". PlantNET - NSW Flora Online. Retrieved 18 August 2010.