Leaves modified to phyllodes or reduced to scales, alternate, smaller towards end of branchlets, often pungent; stipules minute or absent.
Unit inflorescence a raceme, usually axillary, modified to false umbels, clusters or single flowers; several barren bracts present on basal part of rachis; flower articulate on pedicel; bracteoles absent. Calyx campanulate, contracted at base to a stipe-like receptacle; teeth 5, shorter than tube; upper 2 usually wider and ± fused. Corolla usually yellowish with reddish markings; keel often beaked. Stamens all free or lightly coherent; alternate filaments compressed to flattened; anthers dimorphic, alternately large and small; small anthers often with confluent cells. Ovary and style glabrous; stigma terminal, minute; ovules 2.
Pod compressed [or swollen], obliquely triangular in outline, dehiscing elastically; seeds arillate.
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Phyllodes present but not pungent, or rarely absent. | 2 |
| Phyllodes present, pungent-pointed. | 12 |
| 2 | Venation prominent, reticulate. | 3 |
| Venation ± obscure, parallel to pinnate.
Back to 1 | 4 |
| 3 | Unit inflorescence corymbose to umbelliform. | Daviesia corymbosa |
| Unit inflorescence racemose.
Back to 2 | Daviesia latifolia |
| 4 | Branchlets triangular in section, manifestly angular or winged. | 5 |
| Branchlets ± terete.
Back to 2 | 6 |
| 5 | Phyllodes absent over most of plant; branchlets winged; calyx teeth and bracts fimbriate. | Daviesia alata |
| Phyllodes present; branchlets angular; calyx teeth and bracts not fimbriate.
Back to 4 | Daviesia wyattiana |
| 6 | Small trees (shrubby when young); phyllodes discolorous. | 7 |
| Shrubs, rarely arborescent; phyllodes concolorous.
Back to 4 | 8 |
| 7 | Bark corky; phyllodes linear, tapering to a long acute apex. | Daviesia arborea |
| Bark smooth; phyllodes narrow-obovate, rarely linear; apex obtuse or rounded.
Back to 6 | Daviesia suaveolens |
| 8 | Phyllodes linear; upper surface slightly convex; venation conspicuous, with a longitudinal vein near each margin. | Daviesia leptophylla |
| Phyllodes ± circular, lanceolate to ovate or oblanceolate to obovate, often narrow but rarely linear; flat or undulate; venation pinnate, sometimes obscure.
Back to 6 | 9 |
| 9 | Phyllodes crenulate, glossy, green; base cordate, rounded or cuneate; peduncles 3.5–13 mm long. | 10 |
| Phyllodes entire or rarely slightly crenulate, dull to slightly glaucous; base tapered or rarely cuneate; peduncles 0–5 mm long.
Back to 8 | 11 |
| 10 | Phyllodes ovate to circular, base cordate to rounded. | Daviesia buxifolia |
| Phyllodes mostly elliptic or narrow-elliptic, base cuneate to rounded.
Back to 9 | Daviesia elliptica |
| 11 | Shrubs or trees to 6 m high; flowers strongly fragrant; lower calyx teeth 0.8–1 mm long, tips neither thickened nor coloured. | Daviesia suaveolens |
| Shrubs (rarely arborescent) to 3 m high; flowers not or scarcely fragrant; lower calyx teeth 0.3–0.6 mm long, tips thickened and tinged dark brown.
Back to 9 | Daviesia mimosoides |
| 12 | Phyllodes terete or slightly compressed vertically; no midrib apparent. | 13 |
| Phyllodes horizontally flattened or subulate, with a prominent midrib above or below.
Back to 1 | 14 |
| 13 | Phyllodes articulated at base. | Daviesia genistifolia |
| Phyllodes continuous with branchlet.
Back to 12 | Daviesia benthamii |
| 14 | At least some branchlet apices spinescent. | 15 |
| Branchlet apices not spinescent.
Back to 12 | 16 |
| 15 | Plants usually grey-hispid; occurring on deep sand in mallee communities. | Daviesia arenaria |
| Plants usually glabrous; widespread on various soils.
Back to 14 | Daviesia ulicifolia |
| 16 | Flowers up to 6 in axillary umbels. | Daviesia umbellulata |
| Flowers 1, or rarely 2, per unit inflorescence.
Back to 14 | 17 |
| 17 | Phyllodes subulate or ± linear, 10–40 mm long; margins recurved or revolute, with scattered minute teeth; flower stalks 1–2 mm long. | Daviesia acicularis |
| Phyllodes usually narrow-elliptic or lanceolate to broad-ovate or cordate, never subulate, 4–20 mm long; margins recurved or undulate or complicate, often with bristly hairs but not toothed; flower stalks mostly 2.5–12 mm long.
Back to 16 | 18 |
| 18 | Lamina of phyllodes, as well as most parts of plant, hispid. | 19 |
| Lamina of phyllodes glabrous, margins, midrib and branchlets often hispid.
Back to 17 | 20 |
| 19 | Phyllodes lanceolate to linear; apex short-acuminate, 1–2 mm long; margins strongly recurved. | Daviesia pubigera |
| Phyllodes cordate to ovate, or rarely lanceolate; apex long-acuminate, 3–7 mm long; margins undulate.
Back to 18 | Daviesia villifera |
| 20 | Uppermost bracts in cluster at base of peduncle 0.3–0.8 mm long, 0.3–0.4 mm wide. | Daviesia squarrosa |
| Uppermost bracts in cluster at base of peduncle 1–1.5 mm long, 0.5–0.75 mm wide.
Back to 18 | Daviesia nova-anglica |
