Cullen discolor
(Domin) J.W.Grimes Scurf-peaProstrate perennial herb, usually with a greyish appearance; stems to c. 1.5 m long, striate, grey-pubescent, glands not visible. Leaves pinnately trifoliolate, 3–10 cm long; leaflets more or less ovate, 1–5 cm long, 7–40 mm wide, upper surface glabrescent to grey-pubescent, lower surface usually more densely hairy, both surfaces dotted with glands, apices obtuse, margins irregularly toothed, undulate; terminal petiolule 2–15 mm long; stipules triangular-lanceolate, 2–7 mm long. Inflorescence rachis 1–8 cm long; peduncles mostly 2–26 mm long in early flower, shorter than subtending leaves; flowers in 2s or 3s, subsessile; bract ovate-acuminate, 1.5–4.5 mm long, tomentose. Calyx tubular-campanulate, 3.2–6 mm long, villous with white hairs, teeth unequal, upper 2 longer than lateral 2, all 4 longer than calyx tube, lower one longest; corolla in chasmogamous flowers 4–7 mm long, white with a purplish blotch on keel or rarely all purple, exceeding calyx by c. 1 mm, persistent in fruit; corolla in cleistogamous flowers (appearing on separate plants) 3–4.5 mm long, white, included in calyx. Pod ovoid, c. 3 mm long, included in calyx, villous, brown, seed 1, c. 2 mm long, yellow. Flowers mainly Sep.–Jan.
MuM, MSB, RobP. All mainland states. Endangered in Victoria where found in the far north-west of the state in sandy soils.
Cullen discolor has been confused with C. patens but is most easily distinguished by the short (usually less than 26 mm) peduncles when plants are in early bloom, although the peduncle elongates with age. Plants may have either purple or mostly white flowers, the latter being more common in the eastern part of the range including Victoria.
Plants with cleistogamous flowers occur throughout the range of the species, and can be distinguished by their wholly white flowers with the petals always included in the calyx.
Jeanes, J.A. (1996). Fabaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 663–829. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
