Collected 1770: Bustard Bay, Thirsty Sound
Observed 2018: Cambooya
This digitally drawn image portrays a small, perennial, herbaceous legume that is uncommon but widespread in temperate and subtropical areas, from grassland to sclerophyl forest.
The artist has used the digital art application Procreate, with an Apple Pencil on an Apple iPad Pro. This stylised rendition demonstrates an innovative direction in contemporary botanical art.
The artwork depicts all aspects of the plant’s lifecycle, including its distinctive root system with additional stems resprouting from the lignotuber, upright habit, trifoliate leaves, long tubular seedpods and showy crowning pea flowers.
The seeds and roots of Lotus australis are eaten by Indigenous peoples. It is also a caterpillar food plant, including common grass blue butterfly (Zizina labradus).