Opercularia echinocephala

Opercularia echinocephala (bristly headed stinkweed) is a species of plant within the genus Opercularia, in the family Rubiaceae. It is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia.^[3]

Opercularia echinocephala
Opercularia echinocephala
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Gentianales
Family:	Rubiaceae
Genus:	Opercularia
Species:	O. echinocephala
Binomial name
Opercularia echinocephala Benth.[1][2]
Collection data for O. echinocephala from Australasian Virtual Herbarium

O. echinocephala: ripening fruit

Description

O. echinocephala is a spreading perennial from 0.1 to 1.3 m high which grows on flat plains and river banks on sands and lateritic soils.^[4] Its green/ pink flowers are seen from August to November.^[4]

It is found in the IBRA regions of Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren.^[4]

Taxonomy

It was first described by Bentham in 1867 as Opercularia echinocephala.^[1][2] No synonyms are listed by APNI,^[1] nor by Plants of the World online.^[5]