Thursday, June 20, 2013

Jacksonia scoparia

Jacksonia scoparia

Family - Fabaceae

Common name - Dogwood

Flowers and fruit - Flowers are orange-yellow with red centres on terminal racemes in upper axils. The calyx is 5-lobed reddish-brown and covered with silky hairs. The seed pod is oblong-elliptic, 6 to 12mm long, flattened, reddish-brown and covered in long whitish hairs. Flowering Oct to Nov.

Leaves and stems- Leafless (leaves usually reduced to scales). Angular branches are minutely downy giving them a grey appearance.

Habit and habitat - A tall leafless shrub generally to 3m but can grow much taller. Branches are often drooping and bear a profusion of flowers, making Jacksonia scoparia very showy and noticeable. It grows on low-nutrient gravel or sandy soils in exposed positions and hillsides and ridges.

Leafless branches of Jacksonia scoparia (Dogwood)

Reddish-brown seed pods of Jacksonia scoparia covered in silky hairs

Drooping habit of Jacksonia scoparia on roadside

 
'Fascination' growing on Jacksonia scoparia

A 'fascination' is an abnormal growth in which the growing tip becomes elongated, flattened, ribbon-like, crested or elaborately contorted. More information here.