Hovea acanthoclada

Hovea acanthoclada
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Genus:	Hovea
Species:	H. acanthoclada
Binomial name
Hovea acanthoclada (Turcz.) F.Muell.
Synonyms
Daviesia acanthoclada Turcz.

Hovea acanthoclada, commonly known as thorny hovea, is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is an upright, prickly shrub with small dark green leaves and purple-blue pea flowers in winter and spring. It is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.

Description

Hovea acanthoclada is an upright or prostrate scrambling, stiff shrub to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) high, and needle-shaped, hairy stems, mostly spiny. The leaves are oblong, whorled, flat, hairy, 2–5.5 mm (0.079–0.217 in) long and 2–2.6 mm (0.079–0.102 in) wide, margins toothed or lobed, pedicel 2–2.6 mm (0.079–0.102 in) long and hairy. The bracteoles 0.7–1.2 mm (0.028–0.047 in) long and hairy, calyx 4–5.6 mm (0.16–0.22 in) long with simple hairs. The corolla colours vary, mostly blue or violet with occasional markings, standard petal 8–9.5 mm (0.31–0.37 in) long and smooth, wings 7.5–8 mm (0.30–0.31 in) long, keel 5.5–7 mm (0.22–0.28 in) long. Flowering occurs from July to October and the fruit is a dry, smooth pod, 6–7 mm (0.24–0.28 in) long and 9–10 mm (0.35–0.39 in) wide.