Handsome flat-pea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Handsome flat-pea |
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| Hand-coloured engraving by James Sowerby from A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland | |
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Platylobium
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P. formosum
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| Platylobium formosum Sm.
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The handsome flat-pea (scientific name: Platylobium formosum) is a beautiful shrub that grows only in Australia. It belongs to the Fabaceae family, which is also known as the pea family, and it's part of the Platylobium group of plants.
What it Looks Like
The handsome flat-pea is a shrub that can grow from 1 to 2 meters (about 3 to 6.5 feet) tall. It has thin, strong stems.
Leaves
Its leaves grow in pairs, one on each side of the stem. They have very short stems, almost too small to see. The leaves are dark green on top and lighter underneath. You can see a clear pattern of veins on their surface. Each leaf is usually 2 to 5 centimeters (about 1 to 2 inches) long and 1 to 2.3 centimeters (about 0.4 to 0.9 inches) wide.
Flowers and Pods
The flowers of the handsome flat-pea appear in spring, usually from September to November in Australia. They are bright orange-yellow with a red center. You might also see red marks on the tip of the keel (a part of the flower) and on the back of the standard (another part of the flower). These pretty flowers grow on long, hairy stalks that come out from where the leaves meet the stem.
After the flowers, flat seed pods grow. These pods are smooth or slightly hairy and are about 2 to 4 centimeters (about 0.8 to 1.6 inches) long.
Plant Classification
The handsome flat-pea was first officially described by a botanist named James Edward Smith in 1793. He wrote about it in his book A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland. The name formosum comes from a Latin word that means beautiful, which perfectly describes this plant!
Over time, scientists learn more about plants. In 2011, after studying the Platylobium group, they decided that some plants in Victoria that were once called P. formosum are actually different species. They were given new names like P. infecundum or P. montanum. Similarly, some plants in Tasmania that were thought to be a type of P. formosum are now known as Platylobium parviflorum. This shows how science helps us understand nature better!
Where it Grows
You can find the handsome flat-pea in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland. It is quite common and grows in many different places, from open heathland to the edges of rainforests.
