Plants of South Eastern New South Wales

Opercularia diphylla

Flower head and leaves. Australian Plant Image Index, photographer Paul Hadobas, north of Braidwood

Plant. Australian Plant Image Index, photographer Paul Hadobas, north of Braidwood

Seeds. Bar is 1 mm. Australian Plant Image Index, photographer B Clinton, National Seed Bank, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, ACT

Common name

A Stinkweed

Family

Rubiaceaae

Where found

Forest, heath, and grassland. Coast and ranges. Occasionally tablelands and Western Slopes..

Notes

Small perennial herb, weakly erect or sprawling. Stems hairless or rough with minute projections. Leaves opposite each other, 1–3 cm long, 1–8 mm wide, tips with long points, upper surface rough with minute projections, lower surface almost hairless. Flowers 1.5–3 mm long, with 3-5 petals more or less fused at their bases, in heads of 2 or more flowers. Heads on curved down stalks usually 2–9 mm long. Flowering: spring–autumn. Seeding heads 3–8 mm in diameter.

Definite identification of species of Opercularia in part requires microscopic examination of the seeds, beyond the scope of this key.

PlantNET description:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Opercularia~diphylla (accessed 29 January, 2021)