The genus
Swainsona was first formally described in 1806 by
Richard Anthony Salisbury in
Paradisus Londinensis and the first species he described (the
type species) was
Swainsona coronillifolia, (now accepted as a
synonym of
Swainsona galegifolia. A member of the family
Fabaceae (
legumes), this species is most closely related to the New Zealand genera
Montigena (scree pea),
Clianthus (kakabeak), and
Carmichaelia (
New Zealand broom). The genus name (
Swainsona) honours the English botanist
Isaac Swainson. A few species are known to produce
swainsonine, a
phytotoxin harmful to
livestock (see
Locoweed). In Australia, animals
intoxicated with swainsonine are said to be
pea struck.
Species list The following is a list of species of
Swainsona accepted by
Plants of the World Online as of 10 September 2023: •
Swainsona acuticarinata (N.T., S.A., W.A.) •
Swainsona adenophylla – violet swainson-pea, violet Darling pea (S.A., N.S.W., Vic.) •
Swainsona affinis – common poison pea (W.A., S.A., N.T., Qld, N.S.W.) •
Swainsona beasleyana (W.A.) •
Swainsona behriana – Behr's swainsona (N.S.W., S.A., Vic.) •
Swainsona brachycarpa – slender swainson-pea (N.S.W., Qld., Vic.) •
Swainsona bracteata (N.S.W., Qld.) •
Swainsona burkei (N.T., Qld.) •
Swainsona burkittii – woolly Darling pea (S.A., N.S.W.) •
Swainsona cadellii (N.S.W.) •
Swainsona calcicola (W.A.) •
Swainsona campestris (S.A., W.A.) •
Swainsona campylantha – Gilgai Darling pea (Qld., N.T., S.A., N.S.W., W.A.) •
Swainsona canescens – grey swainsona (Qld., S.A., W.A.) •
Swainsona colutoides – bladder senna, bladder vetch (W.A., N.T., S.A., N.S.W.) •
Swainsona complanata (W.A.) •
Swainsona cornuta (W.A.) •
Swainsona cyclocarpa (W.A., N.T.) •
Swainsona decurrens (W.A.) •
Swainsona dictyocarpa (S.A.) •
Swainsona disjuncta (W.A., S.A., N.T.) •
Swainsona ecallosa (W.A.) •
Swainsona elegans (W.A.) •
Swainsona elegantoides (W.A.) •
Swainsona eremaea (S.A.) •
Swainsona extrajacens (S.A., N.S.W.) •
Swainsona fissimontana (S.A., N.S.W.) •
Swainsona flavicarinata (W.A., N.T., S.A., Qld., N.S.W.) •
Swainsona formosa – Sturt's desert pea or Sturt pea (W.A., N.T., S.A., Qld., N.S.W.) •
Swainsona forrestii (W.A.) •
Swainsona fraseri (N.S.W., Qld.) •
Swainsona fuscoviridis (S.A.) •
Swainsona galegifolia – smooth Darling pea (N.S.W., Qld., Vic.) •
Swainsona gracilis (W.A.) •
Swainsona greyana – Darling pea, hairy-Darling pea (S.A., N.S.W., Vic.) •
Swainsona halophila (W.A.) •
Swainsona incei (W.A.) •
Swainsona katjarra – Birriliburu swainsona (W.A.) •
Swainsona kingii (W.A., S.A.) •
Swainsona laciniata (W.A., N.T.) •
Swainsona laxa – skeleton pea, yellow swainson-pea, yellow Darling pea, sandhill swainsona (N.S.W., S.A., N.T., Qld.) •
Swainsona leeana (W.A., S.A.) •
Swainsona lessertiifolia – coast swainson-pea, bog pea, Darling pea poison pea, poison vetch (S.A., Vic., Tas.) •
Swainsona longicarinata (W.A.) •
Swainsona longipilosa (W.A.) •
Swainsona luteola – dwarf Darling-pea (N.S.W., Qld) •
Swainsona maccullochiana – Ashburton pea (W.A.) •
Swainsona microcalyx – wild violet (S.A., W.A.) •
Swainsona microphylla – small-leaf swainson-pea, small-leaf swainsona, poison swainson-pea (W.A., N.T., S.A., Qld., N.S.W., Vic.) •
Swainsona minutiflora (S.A.) •
Swainsona monticola – notched Swainson-pea (N.S.W., A.C.T.) •
Swainsona murrayana – slender Darling-pea, slender Darling pea (N.S.W., Vic., Qld., S.A.) •
Swainsona oligophylla (N.T., S.A., Qld., N.S.W.) •
Swainsona oliveri (W.A., N.T., S.A., N.S.W.) •
Swainsona oroboides – variable swainsona, kneed Darling pea (W.A., N.T., S.A., Qld., N.S.W.) •
Swainsona paradoxa (W.A.) •
Swainsona parviflora (Qld., N.S.W.) •
Swainsona paucifoliolata (W.A.) •
Swainsona pedunculata (W.A.) •
Swainsona perlonga (W.A.) •
Swainsona phacoides – dwarf Swainson-pea, lilac Darling pea (N.S.W., Vic., S.A., W.A., N.T., Qld.) •
Swainsona plagiotropis – red swainsona-pea (N.S.W., Vic.) •
Swainsona procumbens – Broughton pea, swamp pea (N.S.W., Vic., Qld.) •
Swainsona pterostylis (W.A.) •
Swainsona purpurea – purple Swainson-pea, purple Darling pea (W.A., S.A., N.T., Qld., N.S.W.) •
Swainsona pyrophila – yellow Swainson-pea, yellow Darling pea (S.A., Vic., N.S.W.) •
Swainsona queenslandica – smooth Darling pea (Qld., N.S.W.) •
Swainsona recta – mountain Swainson-pea, small purple pea (N.S.W., Vic.) •
Swainsona reticulata – kneed Swainson-pea (S.A., N.S.W., Vic., Qld.) •
Swainsona rostellata (W.A.) •
Swainsona rostrata (N.T., S.A.) •
Swainsona rotunda (W.A.) •
Swainsona sejuncta (Qld.) •
Swainsona sericea – silky Swainson-pea, silky pea (N.S.W., Vic., S.A.) •
Swainsona similis (N.S.W., Qld.) •
Swainsona stenodonta (W.A.) •
Swainsona stipularis (N.S.W., S.A., Qld., Vic.) •
Swainsona swainsonioides – downy Swainson-pea, downy Darling pea (N.S.W., S.A., Qld., Vic.) •
Swainsona tanamiensis (W.A., N.T.) •
Swainsona tenuis (W.A., S.A., N.T.) •
Swainsona tephrotricha (S.A.) •
Swainsona thompsoniana (W.A.) •
Swainsona unifoliolata (W.A., N.T., S.A.) •
Swainsona vestita (S.A.) •
Swainsona villosa (W.A., N.T., S.A.) •
Swainsona viridis – creeping Darling pea (N.S.W., S.A.) ==Distribution==