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Pultenaea (Probably named after Dr)
(probably named after Dr. Richard Pulteney, 1730-1801, author of "Historical and Bio-graphical Sketches of the Progress of Botany in England, from its Origin to the Introduction of the Linnaean System," and other works of merit). Including Euchilus and Spadostyles. ORD. Leguminosae. A genus comprising seventy-five species of ornamental, greenhouse, evergreen shrubs, confined to Australia. Flowers yellow, orange, or mixed with purple, axillary and solitary, or crowded in terminal heads, and surrounded within the floral leaves by imbricated, scarious, brown bracts or enlarged stipules without any lamina; two upper lobes of calyx more or less united into an upper lip; petals on rather long claws; standard nearly orbicular; wings oblong; keel incurved; stamens free. Pods ovate, flat or turgid, two-valved. Leaves opposite or rarely ternately whorled, simple, sometimes flat or with revolute margins, sometimes concave or with incurved margins; stipules linear-lanceolate or setaceous, brown and scarious. Pultenaeas succeed best in fibrous peat, to which about one-seventh part of silver sand should be added. They require, like many other hard-wooded Australian plants, firm potting, and very careful watering with soft water. Propagated by imported seeds; and from cuttings, made of the points of shoots when about three parts matured. The latter should be inserted in very sandy peat, covered with a bell glass, placed in an intermediate temperature, and kept well shaded. In the following species, the flowers are yellow, except where otherwise stated.
P. argentea (silvery). A synonym of P. dentata.
P. cordata (heart-shaped). A synonym of P. juniperina latifolia. P. daphnoides (Daphne-like). fl. shortly pedicellate, in dense, terminal, sessile heads; standard nearly twice as long as the calyx. June and July. l. cuneate-oblong, flat, glabrous, nearly 1in. long, ending in a pungent mucrone. h. 2ft. to 3ft. 1792. (A. B. R. 98; B. M. 1394; L. B. C. 1143.) P. d. obcordata (obcordate). l. shorter and broader, more truncate, with a more prominent point. (A. B. R. 574, under name of P. obcordata.) P. dentata (toothed). fl. in dense, terminal heads, sessile within the last leaves; calyx silky-villous, half as long as the standard. June. l. linear, linear-oblong, or narrow-lanceolate, usually narrow at both ends, 1/4in. to 1/2in. long, darker-coloured or silvery beneath. h. 2ft. 1820. SYN. P. argentea.
P. euchila (beautiful-lipped). fl. axillary, on pedicels 1/4in. long; petals half as long again as the calyx. May. l. linear-cuneate, obtuse, 1/2in. to 3/4 in. long, flat or slightly concave, dark or silvery beneath. h. 1ft. 1824. SYN. Spadostyles Sieberi.
P. flexilis (bending). fl. solitary in the upper axils, shortly pedicellate; standard fully twice as long as the calyx. May. l. linear or linear-oblong, often slightly cuneate, obtuse or mucronate, 1/2in. to 1in. long, flat or concave, darker-coloured beneath. h. 1 1/2ft. 1801. (B. R. 1694.) P. juniperina (Juniper-like). fl. in the uppermost axils, usually two or three together at the ends of the smaller branches, with occasionally one or two leafless, stipular bracts; standard fully twice as long as the calyx. June. l. linear or lanceolate, spreading, rigid and pungent-pointed, less than 1/2in. long, concave or with involute margins. h. 1 1/2ft. 1824. Plant prickly. P. j. latifolia (broad-leaved). l. lanceolate, rounded or sometimes almost cordate at base, tapering into a rigid, pungent point. 1832. SYN. P. cordata (B. M. 3443).
P. mucronata (pointed). A synonym of P. polifolia.
P. obcordata (obcordate).* fl. in the upper axils, or forming a short, terminal, leafy head; standard half as long again as the pubescent calyx. April. l. opposite, in whorls of three or scattered, broadly obovate or obcordate, about 1/3in. long, obtuse, truncate, or emarginate, pubescent when young, at length nearly glabrous. h. 2ft. 1803. (B. R. 403 and L. B. C. 60, under name of Euchilus obcordatus.) P. paleacea (scaly). fl. in dense, but not large, terminal heads, sessile within the last leaves; calyx silky-hairy, the standard nearly twice as long, the lower petals shorter May. l. linear, with fine, straight or recurved points and revolute margins, 1/2in. to 3/4in. long, pale, and usually silky-hairy beneath. h. 1 1/2ft. 1789. (L. B. C. 291.) P. pedunculata (long-flower-stalked). fl. small, solitary or two together at the ends of the branchlets, on filiform pedicels longer than the leaves; standard twice as long as the calyx. May. l. linear or oblong-lanceolate, narrowed at both ends, the margins recurved or revolute, rarely 1/2in. long, rigid at first, with pungent points, which at length wear off. Plant prostrate. 1820. (B. M. 2859.) P. polifolia (Polium-leaved). fl. numerous, in dense, terminal heads, sessile within the last leaves; standard not twice as long as the calyx; lower petals shorter. May. l. linear, obtuse, 1/2in. to 1 1/2in. long, with a fine, straight or recurved point, hoary beneath, and often hirsute with long hairs. h. 2ft. 1824. SYNS. P. mucronata (L. B. C. 1711), P. rosmarinifolia (B. R. 1584).
P. polygalifolia (Polygala-leaved). A synonym of P. villosa. P. retusa (retuse). fl. few, in small, terminal heads, sessile within the last leaves; standard not twice as long as the calyx. April. l. linear or linear-cuneate, very obtuse or more frequently emarginate, rarely 1/2in. long, pale beneath. h. 1ft. 1789. (B. M. 2081; B. R. 378.) P. rosea (rose-coloured).* fl. pink, produced in roundish heads, sessile within the last leaves; petals not twice as long as the calyx. April. l. linear-terete, obtuse or with short, callous points, channelled above by the involute margins. h. 2ft. 1877. (G. C. n. s., vii. p. 431.) P. rosmarinifolia (Rosemary-leaved). A synonym of P. polifolia. P. scabra (scabrous). fl. sessile in the upper axils, or three or four together at the ends of the branches; standard about twice as long as the calyx; keel deeply coloured. April. l. from obovate to narrow-cuneate, under 1/2in. long, truncate, emarginate, or shortly bilobed, and often mucronate, the margins revolute, scabrous above, tomentose or hairy beneath. h. 1 1/2ft. 1803.
P. s. biloba (two-lobed). l. narrow-cuneate, dilated, and two-lobed at the end, with a short, recurved point; tomentum short. 1817. (B. M. 2091 and L. B. C. 550, under name of P. biloba.) P. stipularis (stipuled). fl. numerous, in dense heads, sessile within the last leaves; calyx ciliate or hirsute; standard scarcely half as long again as the calyx. April. l. linear, acute, five-pointed, 1in. to 1 1/2in. long, darker beneath; stipules narrow, often above 1/4in. long. h. 2ft. 1792. (B. M. 475.) P. stricta (upright).* fl. nearly sessile, in small, dense heads, within the last leaves; standard nearly twice as long as the calyx. April to July. l. obovate, mucronate, quite glabrous above, often silky-pubescent beneath. h. 1ft. to 3ft. 1803. (B. M. 1588; L. B. C. 974.) P. subumbellata (sub-umbellate). fl. golden-yellow, streaked with crimson behind, produced in fine, terminal, sub-umbellate heads, sessile within the last leaves. April. l. linear, obtuse, smooth on both sides. Branches cinereous, pilose. h. 1ft. 1831. (B. M. 3254; B. R. 1632.) P. tenuifolia (slender-leaved). fl. solitary or two together, sessile on the smaller branchlets, and often shorter than the surrounding leaves. April. l. narrow-linear or terete, obtuse or scarcely acute, 1/6in. to 1/3in. long, concave or channelled above by the involute margins. h. 1 1/2ft. 1817. (B. M. 2086.) P. villosa (villous).* fl. solitary in each axil, but sometimes forming short, terminal, leafy racemes; petals nearly twice as long as the calyx. April. l. linear-oblong, pilose beneath, as well as the branches and calyces, two or three lines long. h. 1ft. to 3ft. 1790. (B. M. 967.) SYN. P. polygalifolia.