| Coral Vine | |
|---|---|
| Kennedia coccinea in Glen Forrest, Western Australia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Tribe: | Phaseoleae |
| Genus: | Kennedia |
| Species: | K. coccinea |
| Binomial name | |
| Kennedia coccinea Vent. |
|
Kennedia coccinea (Coral Vine) is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low growing trailing shrub or climber which has twining rust-coloured branchlets with rounded leaflets that are about 1.5 cm long and occur in threes.[1] Orange red or scarlet pea flowers are produced in clusters between August and November in its native range.[1][2]
The species was first formally described by E.P. Ventenat in 1804 in Jardin de la Malmaison.[3] Two varieties were described in Paxton's Magazine of Botany in 1835, namely var. elegans and var. coccinea.[3] Three further varieties were transferred from the genus Zichya in 1923 by Domin, namely var. molly , var. and var. villosa. Currently, the Western Australian Herbarium recognises only two informal subspecies known tentatively as subsp. Coastal[4] and subsp. Inland.[5]
The species is naturally adapted to sandy or lighter soils and prefers some shade.[1][2] It is resistant to drought and has some frost tolerance. Plants can be propagated by scarified seed or cuttings of semi-mature growth.[1]