| Psoralea pinnata | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Genus: | Psoralea |
| Species: | P. pinnata |
| Binomial name | |
| Psoralea pinnata L. |
|
Psoralea pinnata is an erect evergreen shrub or small tree that grows to a height of 1.5 metres (5 ft)[1] to 4 metres (13 ft) tall.
Contents |
This plant has fine deep green linear leaves[2] that are deeply divided with a length of about 40 millimetres (2 in).[3] The linear leaf blades occur in crowded alterante spirals are 0.8 millimetres (0 in) to 2 millimetres (0 in) in width and taper from the base.[4] This plant blooms with white, lilac or blue pea shaped sweet smelling flowers between October and December.[5] in large clusters toward the end of the branches. Flowering is followed by the production of small pods, each of these contain a single dark brown seed.[6]
P. pinnata is a native of South Africa but is also an established alien species in other countries particularly Southern Australia[7] and New Zealand.[8]
P. pinnata has many common names. In Africa the plant is commonly known as the Fountain Bush or fonteinbos, it also is called penwortel, bloukeur and is known as umhlonishwa by the Zulu. In Australia, where P. pinnata is a weed, it is known as Taylorina and in Western Australia it is also known as the Blue Broom or the Albany Broom.[9] In other parts of the world it is also called the African scurf pea, Taylorina, Blue Psoralea and the Dally Pine.[10]