Gompholobium obcordatum

Gompholobium obcordatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, open shrub with heart-shaped leaves, the narrower end towards the base, and uniformly yellow, pea-like flowers.

Gompholobium obcordatum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Genus:	Gompholobium
Species:	G. obcordatum
Binomial name
Gompholobium obcordatum Turcz.[1]
Synonyms[1]
Gompholobium obcordatum Turcz. var. obcordatum Gompholobium obcordatum var. pachyphyllum C.A.Gardner

Description

Gompholobium obcordatum is an erect, open shrub that typically grows to a height of 20–60 cm (7.9–23.6 in). Its leaves are heart-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 3.8–6.0 mm (0.15–0.24 in) long, 03–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) wide and glabrous. The flowers are uniformly yellow, borne on pedicels 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long with bracteoles attached. The sepals are 5–9 mm (0.20–0.35 in) long, the standard petal 6.5–10 mm (0.26–0.39 in) long, the wings 5.2–7.5 mm (0.20–0.30 in) long and the keel 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) long. Flowering occurs from September to November and the fruit is a cylindrical pod.^[2]

Taxonomy

Gompholobium obcordatum was first formally described in 1853 by Nikolai Turczaninow in the Bulletin de la Société impériale des naturalistes de Moscou from specimens collected by James Drummond.^[3][4] The specific epithet (obcordatum) means "inverted heart-shaped", referring to the leaves.^[5]

Distribution and habitat

This species of gompholobium grows in sandy soil in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie and Geraldton Sandplains biogeographic regions of south-western Western Australia.^[2]

Conservation status

Gompholobium obcordatum is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.^[2]