Hardenbergia violacea is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is known in Australia by the common names false sarsaparilla, purple coral pea, and waraburra.[2] Elsewhere it is also called purple twining-pea, vine-lilac, and wild sarsaparilla.[3] It is a prostrate or climbing subshrub with egg-shaped to narrow lance-shaped leaves and racemes of mostly purple flowers.
| Hardenbergia violacea | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Hardenbergia |
| Species: | H. violacea
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| Binomial name | |
| Hardenbergia violacea | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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List
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Description edit
Hardenbergia violacea is a prostrate or climbing sub-shrub with wiry stems up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) or more long. The leaves are egg-shaped to lance-shaped, 30–100 mm (1.2–3.9 in) long and 10–50 mm (0.39–1.97 in) wide on a petiole about 10 mm (0.39 in) long. The leaves are leathery, glabrous and paler on the lower surface. [2][5][6][7][8][9]
The flowers are arranged in racemes of between twenty and forty flowers, each on a pedicel mostly 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long. The sepals are 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long and joined at the base, forming a bell-shaped tube with triangular teeth. The petals are about 8 mm (0.31 in) long, mostly purple, the standard petal with a yellowish spot and a notch on the summit, the wings are egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base and the keel is curved. Flowering mostly occurs from August to November and the fruit is a pod 20–45 mm (0.79–1.77 in) long containing between six and eight kidney-shaped seeds. The flowers are usually purple or violet, but pink, white and other colours sometimes occur.[2][5][6][7][8][9]
H. violacea regrows from its roots after fire.[10] The roots were experimented with by early European settlers as a substitute for sarsaparilla.[10]
Taxonomy edit
False sarsaparilla was first formally described in 1793 by George Voorhelm Schneevoogt who gave it the name Glycine violacea in his book, Icones Plantarum Rariorum.[11][12] In 1940, William T. Stearn transferred the species to Hardenbergia as H. violacea in the Journal of Botany, British and Foreign.[13][14]
Distribution and habitat edit
Hardenbergia violacea grows in a variety of habitats but is more common in open forests, woodlands and undisturbed areas, from sea level to about 1,000 m (3,300 ft) above sea level. It occurs in eastern Queensland, eastern New South Wales, south-eastern Victoria and southern South Australia. There is a single population in Tasmania, where the species is listed as "endangered" under the Tasmanian Government Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.[2][5][6][7]
Use in horticulture edit
Hardenbergia violacea is widely grown as a garden plant, with many cultivars now available.[8] It is hardy in mild and coastal areas of the United Kingdom where temperatures do not fall below −5 °C (23 °F), but it does require a sheltered, south or west facing situation. Alternatively it may be grown indoors with full daylight, for instance in an unheated conservatory or greenhouse. It has been given the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[15][16]
The seeds of H. violacea remain viable for many years and propagation is from seeds that have been treated by adding boiling water to them or by abrading the seed coat. Plants prefer full sun in well-drained soil, are moderately frost-tolerant and respond well to pruning.[8][17]
References edit
- ^ a b "Hardenbergia violacea". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d C. Gardner. "New South Wales Flora Online: Hardenbergia violacea". Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney, Australia.
- ^ "Hardenbergia violacea". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- ^ Maiden, Joseph (1896). The Flowering Plants and Ferns of New South Wales. Sydney: NSW Government Printing Office. p. 54. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ a b c Jeanes, Jeff A. "Hardenbergia violacea". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ a b c "Hardenbergia violacea". State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ a b c "Hardenbergia violacea" (PDF). Tasmanian Government Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Australian Native Plants Society (Australia) (ANPSA): Hardenbergia violacea". Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ a b Wood, Betty. "Hardenbergia violacea". Lucid Keys. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ a b False (or Native) Sarsaparilla Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, Paddock Plants, NSW Department of Primary Industries (2010).
- ^ "Glycine violacea". APNI. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ Schneevoogt, George V. (1793). Icones Plantarum Rariorum. p. 29. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ "Hardenbergia violacea". APNI. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ Stearn, William T. (1940). "Bibliographical Notes. Schneevoogt and Schwegman's Icones Plantarum Rariorum" (PDF). Journal of Botany, British and Foreign. 78: 70. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
- ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Hardenbergia violacea". Retrieved 23 February 2020.
- ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 43. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- ^ "Hardenbergia". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 24 September 2005. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
External links edit
