Prickly mirbelia is an erect, spindly shrub, 3-5 m tall, growing in the Darling Range on moist, heavy soils mainly to the south of Perth. It’s leaves are prickly, each with a number of sharp points, which provide some protection against grazing kangaroos. The leaves widen towards the end: dilatatus is Latin for “enlarged” or “widened”. Pink or purple flowers, typical of the pea family, are produced in spring and early summer.
Ref: “Leaf and branch: trees and tall shrubs of Perth” by Robert Powell. Published by the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation, 2009.