Swainsona is a large genus of flowering plants native to Australasia. There are 85 species, all but one of which is endemic to Australia; the exception, S. novae-zelandiae, occurs only in New Zealand.
A member of the family Fabaceae (legumes, it is most closely related to the New Zealand genera Montigena (scree pea), Clianthus (kakabeak), and Carmichaelia (New Zealand broom).
Swainsona is named after English botanist Isaac Swainson.
A few species are known to produce swainsonine, a phytotoxin harmful to livestock (see Locoweed). In Australia, animals intoxicated with swainsonine are said to be pea struck.
- Selected species
- Swainsona acuticarinata (A.T.Lee) Joy Thomps.
- Swainsona adenophylla J.M.Black
- Swainsona affinis (A.T.Lee) Joy Thomps.
- Swainsona beasleyana F.Muell.
- Swainsona behriana F.Muell. ex J.M.Black
- Swainsona brachycarpa Benth.
- Swainsona bracteata (Maiden & Betche) Joy Thomps.
- Swainsona burkei F.Muell. ex Benth.
- Swainsona burkittii F.Muell. ex Benth.
- Swainsona cadellii F.Muell. ex C.Moore & Betche
- Swainsona calcicola Joy Thomps.
- Swainsona campestris J.M.Black
- Swainsona campylantha F.Muell.
- Swainsona canescens (Benth.) F.Muell.
- Swainsona colutoides F.Muell.
- Swainsona complanata Joy Thomps.
- Swainsona concinna F.M.Bailey
- Swainsona cornuta Joy Thomps.
- Swainsona coronillifolia Salisb.
- Swainsona cyclocarpa F.Muell.
- Swainsona decurrens A.T.Lee
- Swainsona dictyocarpa J.M.Black
- Swainsona disjuncta Joy Thomps.
- Swainsona ecallosa Sprague
- Swainsona elegans A.T.Lee
- Swainsona elegantoides (A.T.Lee) Joy Thomps.
- Swainsona eremaea Joy Thomps.
- Swainsona extrajacens Joy Thomps.
- Swainsona fissimontana J.M.Black
- Swainsona flavicarinata J.M.Black
- Swainsona formosa (G. Don) Joy Thomps. - Sturt pea
- Swainsona forrestii F.Muell. ex A.T.Lee
- Swainsona fragilis F.M.Bailey
- Swainsona fraseri Benth.
- Swainsona fuscoviridis Joy Thomps.
- Swainsona galegifolia (Andrews) R.Br.
- Swainsona gracilis Benth.
- Swainsona greyana Lindl.
- Swainsona halophila Joy Thomps.
- Swainsona incei W.R.Price
- Swainsona kingii F.Muell.
- Swainsona lessertiifolia DC.