Hovea asperifolia subsp. asperifolia
Leaves narrow-oblong, linear or narrow-elliptic, 1–8(–10) mm long, 2.5–9 mm wide; upper surface flat to strongly arched up either side of midrib, glabrous except for scattered hairs on midrib, usually scabrous, with stiff relatively short (to c. 0.3 mm long), simple projections; lower surface with sparse to moderate cover of coiled to crumpled hairs, hairs rarely completely obscuring the lamina. Bract and bracteoles sometimes subglabrous, up to 5.5 mm long; standard pale to deep mauve with a basal yellow flare, base rounded. Flowers Aug.–Nov.
VRiv, GGr, NIS, EGU, HSF, HNF, VAlp. Also NSW, ACT. Occurs in exposed and sheltered sites in open woodland or forested areas, often on rocky slopes, especially granite.
A highly variable taxon in indumentum, leaf shape and length, and bract and bracteole size. Many localised forms have been identified. These include:
(a) In damp open forest in the Gembrook area a variant occurs with long, linear leaves with a glabrous upper leaf surface that is strongly scabrous.
(b) Plants similar to those in the Gembrook area, but with shorter projections and scattered hairs on the upper leaf surface occur on hillsides from Reefton to Walhalla.
(c) A population at Moroka Gorge has leaves that are almost smooth on the upper surface and densely hairy below, and flowers are sometimes in clusters of 3, on long pedicles.
(d) In the high country mainly north-west and north east of Omeo a variant occurs with conspicuous, narrow ovate, acute to acuminate bracts and bracteoles. The bracts often exceed the calyx and are glabrescent. This variant occurs along rocky banks of streams and often on margins of drainage lines dominated by Leptospermum grandifolium. This variant corresponds to ‘Hovea sp. P’ of Thompson & Lee (1984b).
(e) On rocky hillsides at Native Dog Flat in the Buchan River Gorge in eastern Victoria a variant occurs with large obovate-oblong, oblong or obovate bracts and bracteoles that are glabrescent at anthesis, and leaves that are almost smooth above and densely hairy below. This variant is somewhat intermediate between H. asperifolia, H. purpurea, H. montana, and H. magnibractea.
Spinning
