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Sphaerolobium

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Sphaerolobium
Sphaerolobium macranthum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Clade: Mirbelioids
Genus: Sphaerolobium
Sm.[1]
Species

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Sphaerolobium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to Australia, occurring in all states and territories except the Northern Territory. Species of Sphaerolobium are erect shrubs, usually with rush-like stems and yellow or red flowers similar to others in the family.

Description

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Plants in the genus Sphaerolobium are perennial shrubs, the stems often rush-like, leafless and winged or ridged. The leaves, when present are simple, linear and lack stipules. The sepals are joined forming a bell-shaped tube with five overlapping teeth, the upper two forming a curved "lip". The petals are yellow or red and pea-like, the keel shorter than the other petals. The fruit is a spherical or flattened pod containing one or two seeds.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy

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The genus Sphaerolobium was first formally described in 1805 by James Edward Smith in Annals of Botany.[5][6] The name Sphaerolobium means "ball-pod".[7]

Species list

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The following is a list of species of Spaerolobium accepted by the Australian Plant Census as of June 2022:

References

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  1. ^ "Sphaerolobium". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Genus Sphaerolobium". PlantNET – New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved 17 October 2008.
  3. ^ Jeanes, Jeff A. "Sphaerolobium". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Sphaerolobium". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  5. ^ "Sphaerolobium". APNI. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  6. ^ Smith, James E. (1805). Koenig, Charles; Sims, John (eds.). Annals of Botany. Vol. 1. London. pp. 509–510. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  7. ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 114. ISBN 9780958034180.