Alpine rusty-pods | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Subfamily: | Faboideae |
Genus: | Hovea |
Species: | H. montana
|
Binomial name | |
Hovea montana | |
Synonyms | |
|
Hovea montana, commonly known as alpine hovea, mountain hovea or alpine rusty-pods, [2] is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, and is endemic to Australia. It is a small shrub with narrow leaves and purple pea flowers. [3]
Hovea montana is a small, low growing shrub usually 15–40 cm (5.9–15.7 in) high and 1–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in) in diameter. The stems and branches are thickly covered with soft, loosely flattened hairs. The leaves are narrow-elliptic shaped, mostly 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) long and 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) wide, with a depressed midrib, the margins curved downward. The upper surface smooth and hairless, the lower surface is thickly covered with fine, soft hairs. The purple-blue or white flowers are borne singly or in pairs, about 10 mm (0.39 in) long on a peduncle about 2 mm (0.079 in) long. The calyx is 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long with rusty-coloured, short, matted hairs. Flowering occurs from October to December and the fruit is a pod about 10 mm (0.39 in) long and densely covered with rusty-coloured hairs. [4] [5]
Hovea montana was first formally described in 1988 by J.H.Ross and the description was published in Muelleria. [6] The specific epithet (montana) refers to mountains or coming from mountains. [7]
Alpine rusty-pods is mostly found in open heath, woodlands and grassy situations at higher altitudes in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. [4] [5]
{{
cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires |journal=
(
help)