Bushy shrub or scrambler with straight and recurved thorns on stems and leaf axis.
Weed Category:
Weed:
No
Form or habit:
Vine (Climbing, Twining or groundcover), Shrub
Family:
Caesalpiniaceae
Leaf:
Compound Alternate Leaves bi-pinnate with three to eleven pairs of pinnae, each pinnae 6-10 pairs of oblong to obvate leaflets, 2-3.5 x 1-1.8cm, glaborus or hairy, prickly rachis.
Flower conspicuous:
Conspicuous
Flower colour:
Yellow
Flower description:
Yellow, auxillary or terminal racemes, flowers bisexual or male. April to July.
Fruit conspicuous:
Conspicuous
Fruit colour:
Brown, Green
Fruit:
Dry
Fruit description:
Green to brown when mature, dehiscent prickly pods, 6x4cm, holding 1 or 2 blue-grey seeds. April to November.
Habitat:
Beach scrub, littoral rainforest.
Distribution
North and north east coast of Australia.
Food source for:
Host plant for the larval stage of the pale ciliated-blue and speckled line-blue butterflies and seeds eaten by flesh footed shearwater.
Toxicity:
No toxicity known
Origin:
Australia
Notes:
Information sources:
Melzer R. & Plumb J. (2007) Plants of Capricornia., Townsend K. & the Society for Growing Australian Plant Townsville Branch Inc. (1994) Across the Top: Gardening with Australian Plants in the tropics.
