Citation: F. Muell. ex Miq., Nederl. Kruidk. Arch. 4:109 (1856).

Synonymy: O. varia Hook. f. var. rigidior Benth., Fl. Aust. 3:435 (1867). , Opercularia turpis

Common name: Twiggy stinkweed.

Description:
Perennial shrublets, dioecious, with erect often virgate branches, terete but grooved and up to 30 cm long, arising from 1 main stem, glabrous to densely hairy; leaves sessile, linear to linear-lanceolate, rarely lanceolate, 2-14 x 1-3 ram, acute and often uncinate, glabrous to more or less hairy, with strongly recurved margins; stipules with 1 linear-triangular lobe and 1 small point on either side.

Inflorescence of 3-5 flowers basally fused into a hemispherical head, usually sessile, single or in pairs in the axils of leaves along the little-branched stems and if branched then unequal and not apparently dichotomously; calyx lobes linear-triangular, glabrous to hairy; anthers. 2-3 mm long.

Fruit dehiscing by an oblique split of the lid so as to form a star-shaped cavity after all seeds have been shed; seeds coffee-bean-shaped, more or less rugose on both surfaces.

Published illustration: Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 622.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: FR, EA, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL, KI, SE.   Vic. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Aug. — Nov.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available