Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Podalyria
Species: P. sericea
Binominal name: Podalyria sericea
Common names : Satin bush, Sweet Pea Bush, Silver sweet pea bush, Silky podalyria, Cape satin bush, Lesser bush sweet pea
Podalyria sericea is a small, naturally rounded, evergreen shrub, 1 x 1m, native to South Africa. In New Zealand they are sold by nurseries and in a few coastal areas they are growing wild.
Podalyria sericea has simple, alternate, obovate, green leaves that have a silvery sheen due to a coating of silver-grey, glossy hairs on both surfaces which give the whole plant a silvery, shiny lustre.During May to August single, small, pink blooms, (10 mm long) are dotted over the bush. The flowers are borne at the point where a leaf attaches to the stem and flower stalks are enclosed by the calyx. Each pea like flower consists of a large back petal, two smaller side petals and two fused lower petals which enclose the stamens and pistil.Flowering is followed during October to January by 35 mm long, swollen seed pods each which contains 7-9 hard seeds.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
