Botanical art
Common names
Broom Bitter-pea
Etymology
Daviesia named after the Rev. Hugh Davies (1739-1821), a Welsh botanist and an Anglican clergyman. Genistifolia from Latin meaning foliage like the genus Genista, Broom, referring to the leaves being broom-like.
Distribution and status
Found mainly in the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, in sclerophyll forest. Also found Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Native. Common in South Australia. Uncommon in Victoria. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Shrub to 2 m high with slender glabrous slightly sulcate (groove0 branches, faintly striated to smooth. Phyllodes divaricate, linear-terete, to 30 mm long and 1.7 ; subulate, pungent-pointed; smooth, articulate on the branches. Flower-spike in axillary racemes with 2-6 yellow to orange pea-flowers. Flowering between September and October. Fruits are brown, flat, broad-triangular pod to 12 mm long and 10 mm wide, with one seed inside. Seeds are brown with black mottled reniform seed to 6 mm long and 4 mm wide, and a cream aril. Seed embryo type is bent.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between December and January. Collect maturing brown seed pods from the plant using secateurs or by hand. Plant is prickly so it is advisable to wear gloves. Leave the pods in a paper bag to dry for at least a week. Rub the pods gently wiht a rubber bung to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the seeds from unwanted material. Store the dried fruit heads 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 95%. 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 | 1,400 (15.79 g) | 28-Dec-2007 | KHB111 Northern Lofty | 19-Sep-2008 | 95% | -18°C | |
| BGA | 2,000 (23.27 g) | 20+ | 9-Dec-2018 | KHB998 Flinders Ranges | 24-Apr-2019 | 90% | -18°C |
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.