Platylobium
(from platys, broad, and lobos, a pod; in reference to the broad legumes). Flat Pea. ORD. Leguminosae. A small genus (three species) of Australian, greenhouse shrubs, with slender branches. Flowers yellow, solitary, in opposite axils; two upper calyx lobes very large, free or shortly united; lower ones small and narrow; petals clawed; standard orbicular or reniform; wings oblong-obovate, much shorter; bracts brown and scarious. Pods sessile or stipitate, very flat. Leaves opposite, simple, or entire, or with pungent angles. For culture, see Hovea.
P. formosum (beautiful).* fl., standard nearly twice as long as the very hairy calyx; pedicels often fully 1/2in. long, always exserted from the bracts at their base. July. l. from broadly cordate to ovate, or rarely ovate-lanceolate, acute, 1in. to 2in.long, strongly reticulated, with a rigid point. h. 4ft. 1790. A handsome shrub. (B. M. 469; P. M. B. xiii. 195.) P. f. parviflorum (small-flowered). A form with smaller flowers, shorter pedicels, and narrower leaves, than the type. h. 4ft. 1792. SYNS. P. ovatum, P. parviflorum (B. M. 1520; L. B. C. 1241; P. M. B. xi. 219). P. Murrayanum (Murray's). A synonym of P. triangulare. P. obtusangulum (obtuse-angled). fl., standard shortly exceeding the very hairy calyx, which is about 1/2in. long; pedicels short, and completely concealed by the imbricate bracts at their base. May. l. from broadly triangular to ovate-cordate, hastate, or cordate-lanceolate, mostly 3/4in. to 1in. long, with a pungent point, the lateral angles either acute and pungent or rounded and obtuse. h. 1ft. 1832. (B. M. 3258.) SYN. P. triangulare (B. M. 1508).
P. ovatum (ovate). A synonym of P. formosum parviflorum. P. parviflorum (small-flowered). A synonym of P. formosum parviflorum. P. triangulare (triangular).* fl., standard reniform, deeply emarginate, about twice as long as the calyx, which is adpressedly hairy, and nearly 1/2in. long. May. l. broadly triangular or cordate-hastate, the angles terminating in short, pungent points, or the lower leaves rarely broadly cordate, with the lateral angles rounded, mainly 3/4in. to 1in. long. h. 1ft. 1832. A straggling or procumbent shrub. SYN. P. Murrayanum (B. M. 3259). P. triangulare (triangular), of Sims. A synonym of P. obtusangulum.