Swainsona formosa

(G. Don) Joy Thomps.

Sturt’s desert pea

Fabaceae Edible: Seeds, Flower nectar 1,011 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Swainsona formosa, commonly known as Sturt's desert pea or Sturt pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is native to all continental states and the Northern Territory of Australia, with the exception of Victoria. It is a prostrate annual or short lived perennial herb with imparipinnate leaves with about 15 elliptic to egg-shaped leaflets with the narrower end towards the base, and presents two to six racemes of usually red flowers.

Description

A trailing annual herb. They are 50 cm high. It can spread 1-4 m across. The leaves are grey-green. They have dense hairs. The leaves are divided into 3 soft oval segments 3 cm long. The flowers are bright red with black at the centre. They are pea like. The fruit are leathery pods which are hairy. These are 6 cm long. As they ripen they have two rolled sides. There are several seeds in each side.

Edible Uses

Both the seeds and flower nectar are edible.

Distribution

It grows in warm temperate and arid or semiarid places. It needs well drained soil. It needs full sun. It can stand light frosts. It grows in a Mediterranean climate. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia*, Sri Lanka,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed. They can also be grown from cuttings.

Notes

There are about 50 Swainsona species. Also as Papilionaceae.

Synonyms

Clianthus formosus (G. Don) Ford & VickClianthus dampieri A. Cunn. ex Lindl.and others

References (23)

Bindon, P., 1996, Useful Bush Plants. Western Australian Museum. p 239
Blomberry, A.M., 1979, Australian Native Plants. Angus and Robertson p 161 (As Clianthus formosus)
Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 267 (As Clianthus formosus)
Bonney, N., 1997, Economic Native Trees and Shrubs for South Australia. Greening Australia (SA) inc. Campbelltown SA 5074 p 162
Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 281 (As Clianthus formosus)

Show all 23 references

Cancilla, D., 2018, Ethnobotanical and Ethnozoological Values Desktop Assessment - Eliwana Project. p 15
Cribb, A.B. & J.W., 1976, Wild Food in Australia, Fontana. p 103 (As Clianthus formosus)
Cronin, L., 1989, The Concise Australian Flora. Reed. p 108 (As Clianthus formosus)
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1383
Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1984, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 3. Lothian. p 51 (As Clianthus formosus)
Elliot, R., 2003, Australian Plants for Mediterranean Climate gardens. Rosenberg. p 40
Greig, D., 1996, Flowering Natives for Home Gardens. Angus & Robertson. p 310
Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 295
Kew Plants of the World Online
Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 62 (As Clianthus formosus)
Lord, E.E., & Willis, J.H., 1999, Shrubs and Trees for Australian gardens. Lothian. p 158 (As Clianthus formosus)
Molyneux, B & Forrester, S., 1997, The Austraflora A-Z of Australian Plants. Reed. p 67 (As Clianthus formosus)
Morley, B. & Everard, B., 1970, Wild Flowers of the World. Ebury press. Plate 129 (As Clianthus formosus)
Paczkowska, G . & Chapman, A.R., 2000, The Western Australian Flora. A Descriptive Calatogue. Western Australian Herbarium. p 447
Telopea 4:4. 1990
Townsend, K., 1994, Across the Top. Gardening with Australian Plants in the tropics. Society for Growing Australian Plants, Townsville Branch Inc. p 339
Townsend, K., 1999, Field Guide to Plants of the Dry Tropics. Society for Growing Australian Plants, Townsville Branch Inc. p 173
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew