Platylobium

Platylobium
Platylobium Watercolour (1803-1808?) by John Lewin
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Tribe:	Bossiaeeae
Genus:	Platylobium Sm.
Species
See text.

Platylobium is a genus of shrubs in the Fabaceae family. Native to south eastern Australia, they occur in a range of habitats of the coastal regions. The genus was first described by James Edward Smith,^[1] and is closely allied to another genera within the Bossiaeeae grouping, Bossiaea.

The plants within this and other genera of the Bossiaeeae tribe are well known. They often have a common name that alludes to the oblongate pod described in the binary name - such as 'flat pea' - or by its exhibition of a yellow, orange and pinky–red fluorescence - 'eggs and bacon' peas. Papery dark brown scales support the banner of the pea's flower, this completes the semblance to a cooked breakfast. These flowers are displayed on rambling branches, sometimes as a short shrub, often extending prostrate. They range inland in coastal regions Southern and Eastern Australia, including Tasmania.

Platylobium is found to have a distinct wing on the pod, this distinguishes the genus from that of Bossiaea. Examination of the ovate leaves, distinction in the brown papery parts near the bract and diversion in the form of various parts will allow identification of the two species described below.

List of species

This is a list of published Platylobium species.^[2] They are placed within the taxonomic sub division of Bossiaeeae. The genus was reviewed in 2011, and four new species were described.^[2]

• Platylobium alternifolium F.Muell. - Victorian Flat-pea
• Platylobium formosum Sm. - Handsome Flat-pea
• Platylobium infecundum I.Thomps.
• Platylobium montanum I.Thomps.
• Platylobium obtusangulum Hook. - Common Flat-pea
• Platylobium parviflorum Sm.
• Platylobium reflexum I.Thomps.
• Platylobium rotundum I.Thomps.
• Platylobium triangulare R.Br. - Ivy Flat-pea

References

1. in Linn. Trans. Vol. II. 350.
2. "Platylobium". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 2 April 2012.

• Ross, J. H. "Fabaceae tribe Bossiaeeae: Bossiaea". Mike Crisp's home page. ANU. Retrieved 2007-07-27. Allied closely to Platylobium . Flowers subtended by a series of coriaceous or papery brown bracts, mainly insect-pollinated, but in 5 spp. adapted for pollination by birds
• "Platylobium". Electronic Flora of South Australia genus Fact Sheet. State Herbarium of South Australia. 2001. Retrieved 2007-07-29.

External links