Botanical art
Prior names
Swainsona procumbens var. parvifolia
Cyclogyne procumbens
Common names
Broughton Pea
Tatiara Pea
Etymology
Swainsona named after Isaac Swainson (1746-1812), an English scientist and horticulturalist who had a private botanic garden near London. Procumbens meaning lying along the ground; referring to the tendency of the foliage to spread across the ground.
Distribution and status
Found in heavy soil prone to waterlogging mainly in the south-east region of South Australia. It was first collected in the mid-north but was presumed extinct from the region until recent collections were made from Mt Remarkable and Bundaleer area. Also found in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Native. Rare in South Australia. Common in other states.
Herbarium regions: Northern Lofty, South Eastern
NRM regions: Northern and Yorke, South East
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
A spreading or ascending perennial plant with numerous stems arising from a taproot. Leaves 5-15cm long with 15-25 smooth, linear to obovoid leaflets. Flowers large, purple often with a yellow keel-tip. Fruits are dark brown, narrow elliptic to oblong pods 20-40mm long with a stiff woody texture. Seeds are orange to brown, mottled, semi-flat reniform seeds to 2mm long with a smooth surface. Seed embryo type is bent.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between December and January. Collect mature pods, dark brown containing hard seeds. Mature pods can be found lying on the ground next to the plant containing hard seeds. When dried the pods become hard and difficult to open. 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 three collections, the seed viability were high, ranging from 85% to 100%. 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 | 827 (4.8 g) 827 (4.8 g) | 40 | 2-Dec-2004 | DJD61 South Eastern | 31-Mar-2006 | 88% | -18°C |
BGA | 8,800 (59.8 g) | 50 | 20-Jan-2010 | TST892 South Eastern | 1-Jun-2010 | 80% | -18°C |
BGA | 550 (3.5 g) | 20+ | 21-Dec-2010 | DJD2084 South Eastern | 1-Jan-2012 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 4,900 (24.5 g) | 20+ | 13-Dec-2018 | JRG709 South Eastern | 24-Apr-2019 | 65% | -18°C |
BGA | 2,200 (13.92 g) | 10 | 15-Jan-2020 | TST1366 Northern Lofty | 24-Jun-2020 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 3,300 (21.280 g) | 10+ | 1-Apr-2021 | TST1366 Northern Lofty | 28-Jun-2021 | 90% | -18°C |
BGA | 1,500 (8.84 g) | 6 | 24-Nov-2017 | TST1366 Northern Lofty | 28-Jun-2021 | 94% | -18°C |
BGA | 1,700 (10.641 g) | 1-Jul-2021 | TST1366 Northern Lofty | 7-Jul-2022 | 100% | -18°C | |
BGA | 513 (2.632 g) | 1-23-20 | TST1366 Northern Lofty | 20-Jun-2023 | N/T | -18°C |