Tall shaggy-pea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tall shaggy-pea |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Oxylobium
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| Species: |
arborescens
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The tall shaggy-pea (its scientific name is Oxylobium arborescens) is a type of flowering plant. It can grow as a shrub or a small tree. This plant belongs to the pea family, called Fabaceae. You can only find it growing naturally in south-eastern Australia. It has dark green leaves shaped like ovals and bright yellow flowers that look like peas.
What Does the Tall Shaggy-Pea Look Like?
The tall shaggy-pea is an upright shrub. It can grow up to 5 meters (about 16 feet) tall. Its stems are covered in soft, silky hairs.
Its dark green leaves can grow in groups of three or opposite each other. They are usually 3 to 5 centimeters (about 1 to 2 inches) long. The leaves are also 5 to 8 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. Each leaf has a small stalk, called a petiole, about 4 millimeters long. The edges of the leaves are often rolled under.
The top of the leaf has small, bumpy spots. It feels smooth and you can see the veins. The underside of the leaf is covered in soft, tangled hairs. The leaf ends in a short, sharp point.
The flowers are yellow and grow in short clusters. These clusters appear at the ends of branches or where leaves meet the stem. The flowers are about 8 to 10 millimeters long. They are yellow with red marks. Each flower sits on a small stalk about 5 millimeters long. The main petal is almost flat and round. It is yellow with a reddish center and has a small notch at the top.
After flowering, the plant produces a seed pod. The pod is 6 to 10 millimeters long and shaped like an egg. It can sometimes be a bit flat. The pod is hairy and tapers to a point. This plant usually flowers in spring and summer.
How It Got Its Name
The tall shaggy-pea was first officially described in 1811. A botanist named Robert Brown wrote about it. His description was published in a book called Hortus Kewensis.
The second part of its scientific name, arborescens, means "tending to a tree-like form." This describes how the plant can grow quite tall, like a small tree.
Where Does It Grow?
The tall shaggy-pea is not a very common plant. It grows in gullies and sheltered forests. You can mostly find it in mountain ranges across south-eastern Australia.
