About Bossiaea stephensonii F.Muell.
Bossiaea stephensonii is a weakly erect, multi-stemmed shrub that typically grows up to around 1 meter (3 feet 3 inches) tall. It is more or less hairless, with the exception of its new young growth. Its stems are strongly flattened, 1 to 3 millimeters (0.039 to 0.118 inches) wide, and are sometimes winged. The leaves are sharply pointed, and are mostly elliptic to egg-shaped. Each leaf is 7 to 20 millimeters (0.28 to 0.79 inches) long, 2 to 7 millimeters (0.079 to 0.276 inches) wide, and sits on a 1.5 to 3 millimeter (0.059 to 0.118 inch) long petiole. Leaf edges curve downwards, and 4 to 8 millimeter (0.16 to 0.31 inch) long stipules are present at the base of each leaf. Flowers grow singly in leaf axils; each flower is 8 to 12 millimeters (0.31 to 0.47 inches) long, on a pedicel that reaches up to 7 millimeters (0.28 inches) long. One or a few 2 millimeter (0.079 inch) long bracts are located at the base of the flower, and 2.0 to 2.5 millimeter (0.079 to 0.098 inch) long bracteoles fall off as the flower opens. The five sepals are 3 to 4 millimeters (0.12 to 0.16 inches) long, joined at the base to form a tube. The upper sepal lobes are 1.2 to 2.8 millimeters (0.047 to 0.110 inches) long and about 1.5 millimeters (0.059 inches) wide, while the lower lobes are shorter and narrower. The standard petal is yellow with a red base, and grows up to 12 millimeters (0.47 inches) long. The wing petals are reddish and 2 millimeters (0.079 inches) wide, and the keel petal is pink that grades to dark red and 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) wide. Flowering takes place from August to October, and the fruit is an oblong pod that is 15 to 25 millimeters (0.59 to 0.98 inches) long. This species of bossiaea grows in forest, woodland and heathland, most often on exposed near-coastal sandstone. Its range extends from Port Macquarie to the Illawarra region of New South Wales.
