Sturts Desert Pea

Sturt’s Desert Pea, Swainsona formosa, was adopted as the floral emblem of South Australia on 23 November 1961, using the name Clianthus formosus. This species, a member of the pea family, Fabaceae, is confined to Australia, where it occurs in all mainland States except Victoria. Captain Charles Sturt (1795-1869) noted the occurrence of Swainsona formosa in 1844 while exploring between Adelaide and central Australia, and the common name, Sturt’s Desert Pea, commemorates a notable explorer of inland Australia, as well as indicating the plant’s habitat and family. Sturt’s journal, Narrative of an Expedition into Central Australia, refers several times to the beauty of the desert pea in flower and the harsh nature of its habitat.