Beyeria opaca

Smooth wallaby-bush
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Beyeria
Species:
B. opaca
Binomial name
Beyeria opaca

Beyeria opaca, commonly known as smooth wallaby-bush,[2] is a flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is a perennial shrub with sticky leaves, yellowish sepals and grows in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia.

Description

Beyeria opaca is an upright perennial shrub to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high. Leaves initially yellowish green turning dark grey as they age. The leaves and branches sticky, leaves 1–15 mm (0.039–0.591 in) long, 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) wide, oblong to wedge-shaped, shiny green on upper surface, pale underneath, hairless, tapering at the base, margins flat or curved. Male flowers in a small cluster of 1-3, sepals yellow to brown, 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long, female flowers solitary, sepals greenish, shorter on a peduncle 1–4 mm (0.039–0.157 in) long. Flowering occurs mainly in spring and the fruit is an ovoid, flattened capsule, usually 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long.[2][3][4][5]

Taxonomy

Beyeria opaca was first formally described in 1854 by Ferdinand von Mueller and the description was published in Transactions of the Philosophical Society of Victoria.[6][7]

Distribution and habitat

Smooth wallaby-bush grows on sand dunes, sand plains and red sandy clay in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Beyeria opaca". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 25 January 2026.
  2. ^ a b Kutsche, Frank; Lay, Brendan; Croft, Tim; Kellermann, Jurgen (2013). Plants of Outback South Australia. Adelaide: State Herbarium of South Australia. p. 178. ISBN 9781922027603.
  3. ^ James, T.A.; Harden, G.J. "Beyeria opaca". PlantNET-New South Wales Flora online. Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Beyeria opaca". Florabase-the Western Australia flora. Florabase—the Western Australian flora. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  5. ^ "Beyeria opaca". Flora SA. South Australia Botanic Gardens & State Herbarium. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  6. ^ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1854). "Beyeria opaca". Transactions of the Philosophical Society of Victoria. 1: 16. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Beyeria opaca". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  8. ^ "Beyeria opaca". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Retrieved 29 January 2026.