Mirbelia spinosa Benth.

Taxonomic Identity and Growth Form

Mirbelia spinosa Benth. is a spiny shrub that typically grows between 0.2 and 1.5 meters (7.9 inches to 4 feet 11.1 inches) tall, and has erect or wand-like branches.

Leaf Characteristics

Its leaves are narrowly linear, less than 12 mm (0.47 in) long with rolled-under edges, and grow clustered around rigid thorns.

Flower Arrangement

Flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils and are sessile.

Sepal Morphology

The sepals are about 6 mm (0.24 in) long, covered in soft hairs, joined at the base, and their lobes are nearly as long as the joined sepal tube.

Petal Coloration

The petals are colored yellow, orange and reddish-brown.

Petal Size Comparison

The standard petal is almost twice as long as the sepals, the wing petals are shorter than the standard, and the keel petals are shorter than the wings.

Flowering Period

This species flowers from June to November.

Habitat and Distribution

It grows on sandy plains, hills, ridges, and granite outcrops across eight bioregions of south-western Western Australia: the Avon Wheatbelt, Carnarvon, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Murchison and Swan Coastal Plain bioregions.