Bossiaea aurantiaca

Bossiaea aurantiaca is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rounded or spreading, spiny shrub with oblong to narrow egg-shaped leaves, and golden-yellow and pinkish-red flowers.

Description
Bossiaea aurantiaca is a rounded or spreading, spiny shrub that typically grows up to 1.5 m high and 2.2 m wide, the side-branches ending in a sharp point. The leaves are oblong to narrow egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 3.3–7.3 mm long and 0.8–1.4 mm wide on a petiole 0.5–1.0 mm long with a stipule 0.6–1.5 mm long at the base. The flowers are arranged singly or in small groups, each flower on a pedicel 2–4 mm long with a single bract. The sepals are green with reddish tips, joined at the base forming a tube 2.0–2.9 mm long, the two upper lobes 1.0–1.8 mm long and the lower three lobes 0.9–1.8 mm long. The standard petal is golden yellow with a pinkish-red base and 8.3–9.3 mm long, the wings 7.3–7.6 mm long and the keel 6.3–6.9 mm long and pinkish-red with a green base. Flowering occurs from September to October and the fruit is an oblong pod 14–15 mm long.

Taxonomy and naming
Bossiaea aurantiaca was first formally described in 2006 by James Henderson Ross in the journal Muelleria from specimens collected north-west of Norseman in 1998. The specific epithet (aurantiaca) means "of orange colour".

Distribution and habitat
This bossiaea grows in mallee scrub in low-lying situations in the Coolgardie biogeographic region of south-western Western Australia, centred around Norseman.

Conservation status
Bossiaea aurantiaca is classified as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife, meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk.