Templetonia egena
| Desert broom bush | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Templetonia |
| Species: | T. egena
|
| Binomial name | |
| Templetonia egena | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Templetonia egena commonly known as desert broom bush,[2] is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is an upright, leafless shrub with yellowish-brown pea-like flowers and grows in all mainland states and the Northern Territory in Australia.
Description
Templetonia egena is a multi-branched shrub 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in) high with ridged, upright, yellow-green stems 1–3 mm (0.039–0.118 in) wide, rounded at the apex, leaves small, triangular scales. Flowers are borne in pairs or singly in leaf axils, 6–9 mm (0.24–0.35 in) long, pea-like, thickly racemose, pedicel less than 1 mm (0.039 in) long and petals yellow or reddish brown. Flowering occurs mostly in spring and the fruit is a flattened, oval to oblong pod 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long and usually one-seeded.[2][3]
Taxonomy and naming
In 1855 the species was named by Ferdinand von Mueller and gave it the name Daviesia egena.[4] In 1864 George Bentham changed the name to Templetonia egena and the change was published in Flora Australiensis.[5][6]The specific epithet (egena) means "small scales" in reference to the leaves.[7]
Distribution and habitat
Desert broom bush grows on deep sandy soils in drier locations in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.[2][8]
References
- ^ a b "Templetonia egena". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ a b c James, T.A. "Templetonia egena". PlantNET-NSW Flora online. Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ Kutsche, Frank; Lay, Brendan; Croft, Tim; Kellermann, Jurgen (2013). Plants of Outback South Australia. Adelaide: State Herbarium of South Australia. p. 138. ISBN 9781922027603.
- ^ "Daviesia egena". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ Bentham, George (1864). Flora Australiensis (2 ed.). London: Lovell Reeve & Co. p. 170.
- ^ "Templetonia egena". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ George, A.S; Sharr, F.A (2021). Western Australian Plant Names and their meanings (4th ed.). Kardinya: Four Gables. p. 195. ISBN 9780958034197.
- ^ "Templetonia egena". Florabase-the Western Australian flora. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 22 May 2025.