About Pultenaea retusa Sm.
Pultenaea retusa Sm. is an erect shrub that typically grows between 0.5 and 2.0 meters (1 foot 8 inches to 6 feet 7 inches) in height. Young stems of this species are covered in hairs. Its leaves are arranged alternately along the stems, and are shaped like a wedge or an egg with the narrower end at the base. Individual leaves are 5 to 15 millimeters (0.20 to 0.59 inches) long and 2 to 5 millimeters (0.079 to 0.197 inches) wide, with stipules about 1 millimeter (0.039 inches) long at the base, and the leaf tip often has a notch. The flowers grow in dense clusters at the ends of branches, and each flower is 5 to 7 millimeters (0.20 to 0.28 inches) long. Each flower sits on a pedicel up to 2 millimeters (0.079 inches) long, with overlapping bracts 2 to 5 millimeters (0.079 to 0.197 inches) long that fall off once the flower opens. The sepals are 3 to 4 millimeters (0.12 to 0.16 inches) long and joined at their base. Narrow egg-shaped bracteoles 2 to 4 millimeters (0.079 to 0.157 inches) long attach to the sides of the sepal tube. The standard petal ranges from yellow to orange and has red markings, and it is 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) wide. The wing petals are yellow to orange, while the keel is red to purple. Flowering takes place from September to November. The fruit is a flattened, hairy pod that is 5 to 7 millimeters (0.20 to 0.28 inches) long. This species, commonly known as notched bush-pea, grows in forest and heathland on swampy sites. It occurs on the coast and nearby tablelands of Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, ranging west as far as Melbourne.
