''Platylobium'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of shrubs in the family
Fabaceae. Native to south eastern
Australia, they occur in a range of habitats of the coastal regions. The genus was first described by
James Edward Smith James Edward Smith may refer to:
* James Edward Smith (botanist), English botanist and founder of the Linnean Society
* James Edward Smith (murderer), American murderer
* James Edward Smith (politician), Canadian businessman and mayor of Toronto
* ...
, and is closely allied to ''
Bossiaea
''Bossiaea'' is a genus of about 78 species of flowering plants in the pea family Fabaceae and is endemic to Australia. Plants in this genus often have stems and branches modified as cladodes, simple, often much reduced leaves, flowers with the ...
'', another genus within the
Mirbelioids
The Mirbelioids are an informal subdivision of the plant family Fabaceae that includes the former tribes Bossiaeeae and Mirbelieae. They are consistently recovered as a monophyletic clade in molecular phylogenies. The Mirbelioids arose 48.4 ± 1 ...
.
The plants within this and other genera of the Mirbelioids are well known. They often have a common name that alludes to the oblongate pod described in the binary name—such as 'flat pea'—or by its exhibition of a yellow, orange, and pinky-red fluorescence—'eggs and bacon' peas. Papery dark brown scales support the banner of the pea's flower, this completes the semblance to a cooked breakfast. These flowers are displayed on rambling branches, sometimes as a short shrub, often extending prostrate. They range inland in coastal regions
Southern and
Eastern Australia
The eastern states of Australia are the states adjoining the east continental coastline of Australia. These are the mainland states of Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, and the island state of Tasmania. The Australian Capital Territory ...
, including
Tasmania
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
.
''Platylobium'' is found to have a distinct wing on the pod, this distinguishes the genus from that of ''Bossiaea''. Examination of the ovate leaves, distinction in the brown papery parts near the
bract and diversion in the form of various parts will allow identification of the two species described below.
Species
''Platylobium'' comprises the following species:
* ''
Platylobium alternifolium
''Platylobium alternifolium'', commonly known as Victorian flat-pea, is a shrub species that is endemic to Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Colu ...
''
F.Muell.
Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, (german: Müller; 30 June 1825 – 10 October 1896) was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist. He was appointed government botanist for the then colony of Vic ...
—Victorian flat-pea
* ''
Platylobium formosum
''Platylobium formosum'', also known as handsome flat-pea, is a shrub that is endemic to Australia. It is a member of the family Fabaceae and of the genus '' Platylobium''.
Description
The species is an erect or straggling shrub with wiry stems ...
''
Sm.
__NOTOC__
Sir James Edward Smith (2 December 1759 – 17 March 1828) was an English botanist and founder of the Linnean Society.
Early life and education
Smith was born in Norwich in 1759, the son of a wealthy wool merchant. He displayed a ...
—Handsome flat-pea
* ''
Platylobium obtusangulum
''Platylobium obtusangulum'', the common flat-pea, is a shrub that is endemic to Australia. It is a member of the family Fabaceae and of the genus '' Platylobium''.
The species is an erect or straggling shrub that can grow up to 1 metre in ...
''
Hook.
Sir William Jackson Hooker (6 July 178512 August 1865) was an English botanist and botanical illustrator, who became the first director of Kew when in 1841 it was recommended to be placed under state ownership as a botanic garden. At Kew h ...
—Common flat-pea
* ''
Platylobium triangulare
''Platylobium triangulare '', commonly known as ivy flat-pea, is a shrub species that is endemic to Australia. It is a member of the family Fabaceae and of the genus '' Platylobium''. The species was formally described in 1812 by botanist Rob ...
''
R.Br.—Ivy flat-pea
Species names with uncertain taxonomic status
The status of the following species is unresolved:
[
* ''Platylobium aphyllum'' Steud.
* ''Platylobium gracile'' Steud.
* '']Platylobium infecundum
''Platylobium infecundum'' is a shrub species that is endemic to Victoria, Australia. It is a member of the family Fabaceae and of the genus '' Platylobium''. The species was first formally described in 2011. The type specimen was collected ...
'' I.Thomps.
* ''Platylobium linifolium'' Czerw. & Warsc.
* ''Platylobium macrocalyx'' Meisn.
Carl Daniel Friedrich Meissner (1 November 1800 – 2 May 1874) was a Swiss botanist.
Biography
Born in Bern, Switzerland on 1 November 1800, he was christened Meisner but later changed the spelling of his name to Meissner. For most of his 40 ...
* '' Platylobium montanum'' I.Thomps.
* ''Platylobium murrayanum'' Hook.
* ''Platylobium obcordatum'' Vent.
* '' Platylobium parviflorum'' Sm.
* '' Platylobium reflexum'' I.Thomps.
* ''Platylobium reticulatum'' Sieber ex Spreng.
* ''Platylobium rotundifolium'' Colla
* '' Platylobium rotundum'' I.Thomps.
* ''Platylobium scolopendrium'' Andrews
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
*
*
Mirbelioids
Fabales of Australia
Fabaceae genera
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