Daviesia cunderdin Crisp & Chandler (1997: 322)

Crisp, Michael D., Cayzer, Lindy, Chandler, Gregory T. & Cook, Lyn G., 2017, A monograph of Daviesia (Mirbelieae, Faboideae, Fabaceae), Phytotaxa 300 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

37. Daviesia cunderdin Crisp & Chandler (1997: 322) . Type [approximate locality data given because the species is rare]: Western Australia, near Cunderdin, 31°30’S, 117°20’E, R.J. Cranfield 10709, 9 May 1996. Holotype: CANB 483975 ; isotypes: AD, BRI, CANB 483976 , HO, K, L, MEL, NSW

Very dense, compact, divaricate shrubs, 1.6 m high, ± hispidulous on branchlets, pedicels and phyllode margins and midribs. Root anatomy unknown. Branchlets diverging at ca. 45°, prominently ribbed. Phyllodes scattered, diverging at ca. 45°, elliptic to ovate to narrowly so, with an acuminate apex 3–4 mm long, basally rounded and thickened at the articulation, (6–)10–20 × 4–9 mm; venation obscure but some phyllodes have a slightly wrinkled appearance when dry. Unit inflorescences 1(2) in the axils, 1-flowered; peduncle nil; subtending bracts oblong, keeled, 1–1.5 mm long. Pedicels 3–5 mm long. Calyx 5–7 mm long including the ca. 1.5 mm receptacle, with a small, dark callus just below each sinus (except between the upper 2 lobes) at the base of the calyx lobes; upper 2 lobes united in a truncate lip with recurved tips, ca. 2 mm long, recurved; lower 3 lobes triangular, ca. 2 mm long. Corolla red; standard remaining partly folded, broadly obovate to elliptic, emarginate, 12–15 × ca. 12 mm including the 3–4 mm claw, with 2 prominent deltoid calli ca. 0.6–0.7 mm high; wings elliptic to narrowly so, apically rounded but neither incurved nor overlapping, auriculate, 13–15 × 4–5 mm including 4–5 mm claw; keel half broadly transverse-obovate, acute, ca. 16–17 × 5 mm including the ca. 8 mm claw, petals connate along abaxial margins from base of lamina to tip, claws free. Stamens strongly dimorphic: inner whorl of 5 with longer, slender, terete filaments and shorter, round, versatile, anthers with confluent thecae; outer whorl of 5 with shorter, broader, compressed filaments and longer, basifixed, 2-celled anthers. Pod obliquely shallowly obtriangular, acuminate, ca. 14 × 7 mm; upper suture slightly sigmoid; lower suture acute. Seed not seen. ( Fig. 36K ).

Flowering period:— May and June. Fruiting period: Unknown.

Distribution:— Western Australia, known only from the type locality and its vicinity, near Cunderdin.

Habitat:— Lateritic sand, on disturbed sites with remnant kwongan vegetation including Allocasuarina , Callitris and Gastrolobium .

A MONOGRAPH OF DAVIESIA

Phytotaxa 300 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press • 91

Conservation status:— National: Endangered. WA: Critically Endangered, Declared Rare Flora.

Additional specimens examined:— Approximate locality data given because the species is rare. WESTERN AUSTRALIA. Avon: Near Cunderdin , 31°30’S, 117°10’E, N. G . Marchant & J . Seabrook s.n., May 1993 ( CANB, MEL, NSW, PERTH 3705153 ); ibid., T. R . Lally 1015, B. J . Lepschi & R. J . Cranfield , 9 September 1996 ( CANB, K, MEL, PERTH) .

Affinity:— In general aspect, plants of D. cunderdin are larger and coarser than any of D. cardiophylla , D. euryloba or D. umbonata . It is most readily distinguished by the flowers, which are red and much larger (e.g. standard 12–15 mm long) than in the more typical ‘egg and bacon’ (yellow and red) flowers of the genus, as seen in the other three species. Moreover, D. cunderdin has a distinctively shaped standard petal, which remains partly folded and bears a pair of deltoid appendages inside at the base. The other three species have a fully opening standard <10 mm long, with only slightly raised calli. In D. cunderdin , the base of the phyllodes is rounded, not cordate as in D. cardiophylla nor cuneate like D. umbonata . Those of D. euryloba are similar in outline to those in D. cunderdin , but more or less folded upwards longitudinally, or at least adaxially concave. There are calli below the sinuses of the calyx in both D. cunderdin and D. umbonata , but these are rare in D. cardiophylla and absent in D. euryloba .

Figures

FIGURE 36. Daviesia cardiophylla species group. Daviesia cardiophylla. A. Flowering branchlet. B–D. Phyllodes, showing variation. E. Inflorescence (1-flowered) with calyx representing flower. F. Keel. Daviesia umbonata. G. Branchlet tip with pod. H. Phyllode. I. Keel. J. Pod. Daviesia cunderdin. K. Keel. Daviesia euryloba. L. Keel. M. Pod. A, B, E, F from Crisp 6604; C from Crisp 6151; D from Crisp 6507; G, H & J from Crisp 6686 (type); I from Woolcock D13; K from Marchant & Seabrook s.n. (PERTH 3705153); L from Woolcock D74; M from Crisp 6030 (type). Drawing by A.L. Prowse and M.D. Crisp. Adapted from Crisp (1995) with permission from CSIRO Publishing.