Hypocalyptus coluteoides (Lam.) R.Dahlgren

A tall shrub usually 1.5-2.5(-3) metres high, much branched with slender, dark brownish-purple, and smooth or longitudinally striated branches sparsely to densely puberulous on the youngest parts. Leaves. Stipules less than 1 mm long and triangular or narrowly triangular in most forms, but in certain western forms, usually 3.5-5.5 mm long, linear, and similar to the bracts of H. sophoroides, puberulous on most parts, often shed, however, at an early stage. Petioles of adult leaves 0.9-2.5(-3) cm long, adpressedly puberulous, first half-erect, becoming deflexed at the base as axillary branches develop. Leaflets narrowly obovate, usually rather drooping, generally 2.3-5.0 cm long and 1.3-2.5(-3.0) cm broad; central leaflets generally slightly longer than the lateral ones. Leaflets with a basal petiolule 1.5-3(-5) mm long and sparsely to very closely pubescent; lamina rounded-obtuse to truncate at the apex but with the midrib ending as a little tip less than 0.5 mm in length; surface rather smooth, sparsely to very sparsely adpressed-puberulous. Inflorescence a sparse or rarely dense raceme of 6-15(-25) pubescent axis usually 3-6 cm in length. Flower buds in the axils of linear, [en I ire] entire bracts, but these often falling off in early bud stage, seldom persistent until flowering and fruiting stages; in the lower part of the spike up to 10 mm long or more, somewhat shorter in the upper part, linear-setaceous, often more or less U-shaped in transverse section, short-sericeous at least on the basal parts and on midvein of the lower side. Pedicel 3.5-10(-12) mm long (in fruiting stage often longer), rather slender, short-sericeous. Bracteoles generally shed in the early bud stage, similar to the bracts but shorter, 3.0-5.0(-6.0) mm long. Calyx tube covered with short, adpressed, rather sparse hairs. Upper two lobes medially united only to about 0.2-0.8 mm from the tips, forming a more or less square 'double lobe'; lateral and especially the lower lateral incisions deeper; lowest lobe 1.5-2.8(-3.5) mm long. Petals glabrous, bright mauvish pink, but the centre of the vexillum basally yellow. Vexillum blade orbicular, (11-)12-15(-16) x (10.5-)11.5-16 mm in size, rounded at the apex, with a yellow, rectangular spot about 6 x 3 mm in size at the base of the inner side; claw only 0.7-1.5 mm long, rather broad, with lateral callus discs c. 0.8 mm in size. Ala blades of shape as in Fig. 2 G, the apical half wide and expanded, the basal half narrower, firmer and longitudinally slightly folded; (10.5-)11.5-14.5 x (5.5-)6.0-8.5 mm; basal upper parts with some diffuse transverse folds; claws 2.2-4.0 mm long. Carina blades lunate and slightly beaked, 8.5-11.5(-12.0) x 4.0-6.0 mm in size; claws 2.5-3.4 mm long. Stamens: Basifixed anthers 0.9-1.1 mm and dorsifixed ones about 0.7-0.9 mm long. Pistil with (18-)20-30 ovules. Fruit inflated, rather Colutea-like but harder, greenish when unripe, deep brown when ripe, usually 10-14 mm broad (between upper and lower 'sutures') and 23-38 mm long including the stout 3-5 mm long stipe. Ripe seeds seldom seen, up to about 4.3 x 2.7 mm in size, dark brown to black.