Botanical art
Etymology
Swainsona named after Isaac Swainson (1746-1812), an English scientist and horticulturalist who had a private botanic garden near London. Villisa from the Latin 'villosus' meaning covered with soft hairs; referring to its soft and conspicuous covering of hairs.
Distribution and status
Found in red sandy soils in central and north-western South Australia. Also found in Western Australia and Northern Territory. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the other states.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Gairdner-Torrens
NRM regions: Alinytjara Wilurara, South Australian Arid Lands
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
A spreading, usually low growing plant to 20 cm high with numerous dense hairy stems arising from a taproot. Leaves to 8 cm long with 7-15 hairy leaflets. Flowers numerous, purple or occasionally pink or white along a long stalk. Flowering between June and October. Fruits are stiff, papery bladder/balloon like pod to 15 mm long covered in hairs. Seeds are orange to brown, semi-flat reniform seed to 2 mm long with a wrinkled surface. Seed embryo type is bent.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between September and December. Collect mature pods. Mature pods can be found lying on the ground next to the plant containing hard seeds. Place the pods in a tray and leave to dry fro a week. Use a rubber bung to rub the pods or break the pods open with your fingers to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. From one collection, the seed viability was high, at 90%. This species has physical dormancy that needs to be overcome for the seed to germinate (e.g. nicking or softening the seed coat).
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BGA MSB | 6,500 (12.35 g) 5,600 (10.7 g) | 50+ | 4-Oct-2010 | DJD1931 Lake Eyre | 1-Jan-2012 | 90% | -18°C |