Indigofera australis

An open erect to spreading shrub, growing to 3 metres tall by up to 2 metres wide, sometimes multi-stemmed.

It is a very widespread species. It grows over most of NSW, into the far inland and it is thought there are different forms. It extends up the Queensland coast and tablelands, the south and east of Victoria, South Australia and the west of Western Australia with disjunctions in-between.

It often grows in dry sclerophyll woodlands and forests. It can be seen on roadsides, usually in low numbers, across NSW. It tends to be found on heavier soils but can be found on sandy soils as well.

Indigofera australis is a member of the “pea” family.

This generally means that leaves are alternate with stipules at the base of the petioles. In this species, leaves are compound (another common feature in many genera), arranged alternately, with leaves consisting of separate leaflets, terminating in an individual leaflet, called an imparipinnate compound leaf. Leaves are to up to 10 cm long by 8 cm wide, with up to 25 leaflets, each up to 4 cm long and 1 cm wide.

Flowers are, of course, pea-shaped (a term sometimes used is papilionate), with 5 petals in a fixed arrangement; the main back petal is called the “standard”, two lateral petals called “wings” and two fused petals at the bottom called the “keel” (in which the anthers and one carpel tend to be hidden).

In this species, flowers are produced in racemes up to 15 cm long by about 3 cm wide. Flowers are pink to purple-pink.

The fruit of all peas is a pod. In this species, they are linear and terete, up to 5 cm long, ripening to brown and then splitting open to release black seeds.