Plants of South Eastern New South Wales
Opercularia varia
Common name
Variable stinkweed
Family
Rubiaceaae
Where found
Forest and heath. Widespread., mostly on the coast and ranges.
Notes
Shrub to 0.3 m high.Stems numerous from one short main stem, angular, more or less rough to hairy with short hairs, limp. Leaves opposite each other, mostly 0.3–1.8 cm long, 1.5–6 mm wide, tips pointed, margins flat to strongly curved down, surfaces hairless to densely hairy or very rough. Flowers about 2 mm long, with 3-5 petals more or less fused at their bases. Flower heads 2–7-flowered, hemispherical, on curved down stalks 0–7 mm long. Flowering: June–October. Seeding heads 2–5 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~varia (accessed 29 January, 2021)
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