Sturt's Desert Pea
Swainsona formosa
Family Fabaceae
South Australia's floral emblem
About
A striking prostrate annual or short-lived perennial herb of arid inland South Australia, bearing large blood-red flowers with a glossy black boss. Adopted as SA's official floral emblem on 23 November 1961.
How to spot it
Low, sprawling plant with grey-green pinnate leaves (around 15 leaflets) and clusters of 2-6 large red flowers, each with a shiny black swelling at the base of the upright petal. Flowers June to October in red sandy or loamy soils near creek lines and stony hills.
Found in
- Ikara-Flinders Ranges NP
Source: Swainsona formosa — Wikipedia
Heather from Adelaide, Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons