Hovea montana
# Hovea montana

Hovea montana, commonly known as alpine hovea, mountain hovea or alpine rusty-pods, is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, and is endemic to Australia. It is a small shrub with narrow leaves and purple pea flowers.

## Description

Hovea montana is a small, low growing shrub usually 15–40 cm (5.9–15.7 in) high and 1–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in) in diameter. The stems and branches are thickly covered with soft, loosely flattened hairs. The leaves are narrow-elliptic shaped, mostly 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) long and 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) wide, with a depressed midrib, the margins curved downward. The upper surface smooth and hairless, the lower surface is thickly covered with fine, soft hairs. The purple-blue or white flowers are borne singly or in pairs, about 10 mm (0.39 in) long on a peduncle about 2 mm (0.079 in) long. The calyx is 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long with rusty-coloured, short, matted hairs. Flowering occurs from October to December and the fruit is a pod about 10 mm (0.39 in) long and densely covered with rusty-coloured hairs.

## Taxonomy and naming

Hovea montana was first formally described in 1988 by J.H.Ross and the description was published in Muelleria. The specific epithet (montana) refers to mountains or coming from mountains.

## Distribution and habitat

Alpine rusty-pods is mostly found in open heath, woodlands and grassy situations at higher altitudes in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

