Hovea lanceolata

Hovea lanceolata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Genus:	Hovea
Species:	H. lanceolata
Binomial name
Hovea lanceolata Sims
Synonyms
Hovea sp. B sensu Jacobs & Pickard Hovea sp. R sensu Lee & Thompson Hovea longifolia var. lanceolata (Sims) Benth. Hovea trisperma Benth.

Hovea lanceolata is a shrub in the pea family, native to Australia. It grows up to 2 metres tall and is found on rocky areas, sandy soils and ridges. Usually growing west of the Great Dividing Range in northern New South Wales and Queensland.^[1]

The leaves are mostly lanceolate in shape, though sometimes elliptic or narrow-oblong. Leaves 3 to 7 cm long. The lower leaf surface is a hairy grey/brown colour. The leaf tip varies; sometimes pointed, blunt or notched. Small branches are covered in dense curled grey hairs.

Flowers form on racemes or sometimes just a cluster of a few flowers. Flowers are 10 to 12 mm long, in varying shades of purple. The fruit pod is densely hairy, around 12 mm long.

The Lanceolate Hovea may be seen in Mount Kaputar National Park where spectacular displays of flowers occur in early spring.

References