Small Spiny Bitter-pea,
Mallee Bitter-pea,
Spiny Bitter-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
Lucindale (NCP03) | Naracoorte Coastal Plain | Endangered (IUCN: EN D) |
Tintinara (NCP04) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) |
Kangaroo Island (KAN01) | Kanmantoo | Endangered (IUCN: EN D) [only around Kingscote] |
Fleurieu (KAN02) | | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D2) [around Finniss] |
Mount Lofty Ranges (FLB01) | Flinders Lofty Block | Critically Endangered (IUCN: CR D) [only pops north of Nuriootpa] |
Broughton (FLB02) | | Endangered (IUCN: EN B2ab(i,ii,iii)) (Probable Decline) [needs mallee & good brown loams, mostly on roadsides, localised, low popn numbers] |
Central Flinders (FLB06) | | Data Deficient [dodgy ID's; easy to confuse with D genistifolia] |
Southern Yorke (EYB01) | Eyre Yorke Block | Endangered (IUCN: EN B2ab(i,ii,iii)) (Probable Decline) [needs mallee & good brown loams, mostly on roadsides, localised, low popn numbers] |
St Vincent (EYB02) | | Endangered (IUCN: EN B2ab(i,ii,iii)) (Probable Decline) [needs mallee & good brown loams, mostly on roadsides, localised, low popn numbers] |
Eyre Hills (EYB03) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [limited habitat, needs loam flats] |
Talia (EYB04) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [limited habitat, needs loam flats] |
Eyre Mallee (EYB05) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [limited habitat, needs loam flats] |
Murray Mallee (MDD02) | Murray Darling Depression | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D2) [likes brown loams] |
Murray Lakes and Coorong (MDD03) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) [edge of range; on roadsides] |
Lowan Mallee (MDD04) | | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D2) [likes brown loams] |
Wimmera (MDD05) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [stronghold in SE] |
Yellabinna (GVD06) | Great Victoria Desert | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) |
Yalata (NUL03) | Nullarbor | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) |
2 of 4 subregions | Naracoorte Coastal Plain | Rare , Endangered |
2 of 2 subregions | Kanmantoo | Vulnerable , Endangered |
3 of 6 subregions | Flinders Lofty Block | Endangered , Critically Endangered , Data Deficient |
5 of 5 subregions | Eyre Yorke Block | Rare , Endangered |
4 of 6 subregions | Murray Darling Depression | Rare , Vulnerable |
Yellabinna (GVD06) | Great Victoria Desert | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) |
Yalata (NUL03) | Nullarbor | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) |
Botanical art
Kath Alcock paintings: 2
Prior names
Daviesia benthamii ssp. humilis, partly
Common names
Small Spiny Bitter-pea
Mallee Bitter-pea
Spiny Bitter-pea
Etymology
Daviesia named after Rev. Hugh Davies (1739-1821), a Welsh botanist and an Anglican clergyman. Devito named after Danny DeVito (1944-), who is the smaller of the two characters from the movie Twin. This species was previously included under Daviesia benthamii ssp. humilis (Benthamii named after George Bentham (1800-1884), an English botanist and author, characterised by Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century" and Humilis from the Latin 'humus' meaning low, referring to the low-growing habit of the plants). Following DNA sequencing, data showed that D. benthamii ssp. humilis comprise of two cryptic species that are not related to D. benthamii, this was unexpected and as an unlikely twin, the authors decided to name the two species after the actors who played an unlike pair of twins in the movie. The characters different growth parallels the different growth habit of the two species.
Distribution and status
Found in the southern part of South Australia, from the southern Eyre Peninsula to the South-east, growing in mallee on sandy or loamy, usually calcareous soils. Also found in New South Wales and Victoria. Native. Rare in South Australia. Rare in New South Wales. Uncommon in Victoria.
Herbarium regions: Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern
NRM regions: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, Northern and Yorke, South Australian Murray-Darling Basin, South East
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Dense often depressed shrubs to 60 cm high with distinctly longitudinally ribbed stems and phyllodes when dried. Phyllodes terete, to 30 mm long and 1.75 mm wide, rigid, pungent, continuous with branchlet at base. Inflorescence of 1 or 2 spike in axil with 4-6 orange to red pea-flowers. Flowering between September and November. This species is distinguished from D. schwarzenegger by having stipules, larger flowers, having longitudinally ribbed rather than wrinkled branchlets and phyllodes (when dry) and a more diminutive appearance. Fruits are pale brown half-circle pod to 7 mm long and 5.5 mm wide, with one seed inside. Seeds are pale brown with black mottled reniform seed to 3.5 mm long and 2 mm wide, and a cream aril. Seed embryo type is bent.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between November 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. This species has physical dormancy that needs to be overcome for the seed to germinate (e.g. nicking or softening the seed coat). 1. Germination 85%, seed scarified (chipped with scalpel) on 1% w/v agar, 8/16 dark/light, 20�C. 2. Germination 85%, seed scarified (chipped with scalpel) on 1% w/v agar, 8/16 dark/light, 25�C. See http//data.kew.org/sid
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature | MSB | 1,300 (7.04 g) | 50+ | 21-Dec-2005 | PJA120 Murray | | | |
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.
Germination table:
Display
Date | Result | T0 | T50 | Pre-treatment | Germination medium | Incubator: Photoperiod / Thermoperiod |
Mar-14 | 100% | 7 | 14 |
seed coat nicked with scalpel; 1% agar; 12/12; / 20°C |
Mar-14 | 100% | 7 | 14 |
seed coat nicked with scalpel; 1% agar; Incubated under spring/autumn conditions |
Result: Maximum percentage of germination observed.
T0: Number of days before first germinant observed.
T50: Number of days to achieve 50% germination.
Pre-treatment: The initial treatment that the seeds received prior to placement on germination media.
Germination medium: The substrate that seeds were placed on for the duration of the germination experiment.
Incubator conditions:
Photoperiod: The duration of light exposure that the seeds were subject to during a 24 hour period.
Thermoperiod: The constant or diurnal temperatures that seeds were subject to during a 24 hour period.
Winter conditions: 15°C 20 h (3am→11pm); 5°C 4 h (11pm→3am) / 10 h light (8am→6pm); 14 h dark (6pm→8am)
Spring/Autumn conditions: 22°C 12 h (8am→8pm); 10°C 12 h (8pm→8am) / 12 h light (8am→8pm); 12 h dark (8pm→8am)
Summer conditions: 30°C 14 h (6am→8pm); 15°C 10 h (8pm→6am) / 14 h light (6am→8pm); 10 h dark (8pm→6am)