About Comesperma retusum Labill.
Comesperma retusum is a small, upright, leafy shrub that reaches up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) in height. It is sparsely branched, with stems that are more or less pinkish and warty. Its leaves are elliptic to oblong in shape, thick, and measure 5–15 mm (0.20–0.59 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) wide. The leaf apex is either blunt or ends in a small point. Flowers form in a terminal raceme up to 1 cm (0.39 in) long, and occasionally grow on short branches near the end of stems. Flower pedicels are 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) long. The flowers are purple or mauve-pink, pea-like in shape, and 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) long. The outer sepals are free and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long. Wing sepals are usually 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long, and the lateral petals are the same length as the yellow-tipped keel. Flowering occurs between November and January. The fruit is a flattened, elongated capsule that is 9–12 mm (0.35–0.47 in) long. This milkwort species grows in bogs and swamps located in montane and subalpine areas, and is occasionally found in coastal swamps. It occurs in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory.
