Scurf-pea,
Prostrate Scurf-pea,
White-flower Scurf-pea
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Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.
Least concern
Near threatened
Rare
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically endangered
Extinct
Data deficient
Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
Display IBRA region text
Broughton (FLB02) | Flinders Lofty Block | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i)) [taxonomic issues] |
Olary Spur (FLB03) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i)) |
Northern Flinders (FLB05) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [edge of range] |
Central Flinders (FLB06) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [edge of range] |
Eyre Hills (EYB03) | Eyre Yorke Block | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [edge of range] |
Eyre Mallee (EYB05) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) |
South Olary Plain (MDD01) | Murray Darling Depression | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) [difficult to ID] |
Murray Mallee (MDD02) | | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D2) |
Murray Scroll Belt (RIV06) | Riverina | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU B2ab(i,ii,iii)) (Probable Decline) |
Gawler Volcanics (GAW02) | Gawler | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) |
Torrens (GAW06) | | Least Concern |
Roxby (GAW07) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) |
Yellabinna (GVD06) | Great Victoria Desert | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [edge of range] |
Nullarbor Plain (NUL02) | Nullarbor | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [edge of range] |
Barrier Range Outwash (BHC04) | Broken Hill Complex | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i)) |
Simpson Desert (SSD02) | Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields | Least Concern |
Dieri (SSD03) | | Least Concern |
Warriner (SSD04) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) |
Strzelecki Desert (SSD05) | | Least Concern |
Oodnadatta (STP02) | Stony Plains | Near Threatened |
Murnpeowie (STP03) | | Least Concern |
Macumba (STP05) | | Near Threatened |
Witjira (STP06) | | Near Threatened |
Baltana (STP07) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) |
Sturt Stony Desert (CHC02) | Channel Country | Near Threatened |
Diamantina-Eyre (CHC04) | | Near Threatened |
Coongie (CHC06) | | Least Concern |
4 of 6 subregions | Flinders Lofty Block | Rare |
2 of 5 subregions | Eyre Yorke Block | Rare |
2 of 6 subregions | Murray Darling Depression | Rare , Vulnerable |
Murray Scroll Belt (RIV06) | Riverina | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU B2ab(i,ii,iii)) (Probable Decline) |
3 of 8 subregions | Gawler | Least Concern , Rare |
Yellabinna (GVD06) | Great Victoria Desert | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [edge of range] |
Nullarbor Plain (NUL02) | Nullarbor | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [edge of range] |
Barrier Range Outwash (BHC04) | Broken Hill Complex | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i)) |
4 of 4 subregions | Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields | Least Concern , Rare |
5 of 7 subregions | Stony Plains | Least Concern , Near Threatened , Rare |
3 of 4 subregions | Channel Country | Least Concern , Near Threatened |
Botanical art
Kath Alcock paintings: 2
Prior names
Psoralea discolor
Common names
Scurf-pea
Prostrate Scurf-pea
White-flower Scurf-pea
Etymology
Cullen named after William Cullen (1710-1790), a Scottish physician and chemist who lectured at the University of Glasgow on botany, among other things . Discolor from Latin meaning different colours, alluding to the bi-coloured flowers.
Distribution and status
Found scattered across South Australia except on Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, Mount Lofty Ranges and the South-east growing on sandy soil. Also found in all mainland States. Native. Comon in South Australia. Rare in Victoria. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Nullarbor, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Prostrate perennial herb usually with a greyish appearance, with stems to 1.5 m long; striate, grey-pubescent with glands not visible. Leaves pinnately trifoliate to 10 cm long. Leaflets more or less ovate to 5 cm long and 40 mm wide; upper surface glabrescent to grey-pubescent; lower surface usually more densely hairy with both surfaces dotted with glands; apices obtuse; margins irregularly toothed, undulate. Flower-spike to 8 cm long; peduncles mostly 2–26 mm long in early flower, with white with a purplish blotch on keel or rarely all purple pea-flowers in 2s or 3s. Flowering mainly between September and January. Fruits are brown ovoid pod, with one seed. Seeds are dark brown to black bean-shaped seed to 3.5 mm long and 2 mm wide, smooth surface with some hairs. . Seed embryo type is bent.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between September and March. Collect maturing pods, those that are fat, turning black and contain a brown seed inside, by running your hands along the fruit-spikes. Place the pods in a tray and leave to dry for 1 to 2 weeks or until the pods begin to split. Then rub the dried pods to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate any 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 85%. 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 | 10,400 (39.32 g) | 100+ | 27-Sep-2007 | MJT93 Lake Eyre | 19-Sep-2008 | 85% | -18°C |
BGA | 12,020 (60.050 g) | 10+ | 14-Dec-2022 | DJD4159 Eyre Peninsula | 20-Jun-2023 | 95% | -18°C, -80°C |
Location: BGA — the seeds are stored at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, MSB — the seeds are stored at the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew, England.
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.