Shrub or tree to 5 m tall; indumentum yellow-brown, the hairs appressed. (Flora of Australia)

Besides being nitrogen fixing shrubs which are well suited to rehabilitation work, Hovea species are very attractive flowering plants. Hovea longipes is also unique within the Hovea genus.

"Hovea longipes is very different from other eastern species and perhaps would be better placed in its own genus. The main differences are evident in calyx, pod and seed morphology, leaf venation pattern, indumentum type, and in the absence of stipules. The appressed biramate hairs of H. longipes are possibly homologous with those found in Western Australian species of Hovea." (PlantNET)

"In seed and calyx morphology, differs from all other species. Also distinctive are the closely spaced and acutely angled secondary veins of the leaf." (Flora of Australia)

We observe Hovea longipes on a slightly more varied water availability and fertility spectrum than many other subcoastal to inland Hovea species. Margins of scrubs and some deeper, streamside eluvium besides the usual harder ridges of sandstone, conglomerate, granite etc come to mind. "Grows in sands and loams derived from sandstone, basalts and serpentinite in rainforest, scrub and woodland." In low rainfall areas away from the coast, Hovea fruiting events which progress to successful seed development are often many years apart.

Successful collection of Hovea seed requires careful monitoring and maturity testing. As maturity occurs, large portions of seed crops may be forcefully ejected from their capsules on hot, sunny days leaving them in an uneconomic state. It is optimal to harvest seed sometime within several days prior to such an event.

When drying fruiting material cut from Hovea, do not spread material too thickly which will slow down dehiscence underneath. Place tarps in hot sun or clear film tunnelhouse and cover with a very light gauge of shadecloth. This will prevent ejected seed from being lost on to the surrounding ground.

Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. [Date Accessed: Sept 20, 2022] http://www.ausflora.org.au

https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Hovea%20longipes

PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au [Accessed: July 6, 2020.

http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Hovea~longipes