Gompholobium ecostatum
Encyclopedia
Gompholobium ecostatum (Dwarf Wedge-pea) is a small shrub which is endemic to Australia
. It is a member of the family Fabaceae
and of the genus Gompholobium
.
The species is an erect or spreading shrub. The leaves have 3 linear leaflets that are about 10 mm long and 1 mm wide. The flowers, which appear in spring, are deep apricot to red, with a yellow centre. The hairless pods which follow are about 8 mm long.
The species was first formally described by botanist George Bentham
in 1864 as Gompholobium minus var. grandiflora in Flora Australiensis
. It was reclassified as a species in its own right in 1965..
It is found in South Australia
, Victoria
and on Flinders Island
in Tasmania
where it is listed as an endangered species.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is a member of the family Fabaceae
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
and of the genus Gompholobium
Gompholobium
Gompholobium is a genus in the pea family, Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae.The genus is endemic to Australia.Species include:*Gompholobium aristatum Benth.*Gompholobium aspalathoides A.Cunn...
.
The species is an erect or spreading shrub. The leaves have 3 linear leaflets that are about 10 mm long and 1 mm wide. The flowers, which appear in spring, are deep apricot to red, with a yellow centre. The hairless pods which follow are about 8 mm long.
The species was first formally described by botanist George Bentham
George Bentham
George Bentham CMG FRS was an English botanist, characterized by Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century".- Formative years :...
in 1864 as Gompholobium minus var. grandiflora in Flora Australiensis
Flora Australiensis
Flora Australiensis: a description of the plants of the Australian Territory, more commonly referred to as Flora Australiensis, and also known by its standard abbreviation Fl. Austral., is a seven-volume flora of Australia published between 1863 and 1878 by George Bentham, with the assistance of...
. It was reclassified as a species in its own right in 1965..
It is found in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and on Flinders Island
Flinders Island
Flinders Island may refer to:In Australia:* Flinders Island , in the Furneaux Group, is the largest and best known* Flinders Island * Flinders Island , in the Investigator Group* Flinders Island...
in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
where it is listed as an endangered species.