Purple Coral-pea - native (Hardenbergia violacea)

Family: Fabaceae (Pea family).

Native.

Other names: Sarsaparilla.

Widespread.

Identification:

• it prostrate or climbing
• it has blue-purple pea flowers
• the leaves are large (c5cm long) and tapered.

Name. Hardenbergia: after the Austrian Countess Franziska von Hardenberg, who was sister of Baron von Hugel.

Photos. 1: Purple Coral-pea climbing a wattle. Chiltern. Here some of the peas have climbed to well over head height.

2: In flower. Kalimna, Castlemaine. 3: Dense regeneration after a bush fire. Nener Track, Humboldt.

4: Prostrate plant. Kalimna. 5: Hardenbergia hedge. Wangaratta.