Hovea tholiformis is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, endemic to eastern Queensland, Australia. It is a shrub with narrowly elliptic to narrowly oblong or strap-like leaves, groups of two or three mauve pea flowers, and densely hairy, sessile pods.
Description Hovea tholiformis is a shrub that typically grows to a height of up to and is covered with grey, coiled hairs. The leaves are narrowly elliptic or narrowly oblong, narrowly lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, to strap-shaped, long and wide on a petiole long. The upper surface of the leaves is more or less smooth and the edges are curved downwards. There are stipules long at the base of the petioles. The flowers are mostly borne in groups of two or three on a peduncle long, each flower on a pedicel long, with egg-shaped bracts and bracteoles long at the base. The sepals are long and joined at the base, forming a tube long, the upper lip about wide. The petals are mauve, the standard petal long with a central white "flare", the wings wide. Flowering occurs from June to August and the pods are densely hairy and sessile.
Taxonomy and naming Hovea tholiformis was first formally described in 2001 by Ian Thompson and the description was published in Australian Systematic Botany.
Distribution and habitat This hovea grows in sandy soils on rocky outcrops in woodland in eastern Queensland from west of Ingham to Westmar and Eidsvold.
Conservation status Hovea tholiformis is listed as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.
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