Barleria

Barleria prionitis

Alternative Name(s): Porcupine Flower

Family: Acanthaceae.

Form: Shrub

Origin: Native of tropical Africa and Asia, and to Madagascar.

Flowers/Seedhead: Petals joined in a corolla about 4 cm long, sepals spine-tipped. Flowers summer to winter, mostly in April and May.

Description: Prickly shrub to 1.5 m high. Leaves to 13 cm long, about 4 cm wide, tapering to the base, margin entire, upper surface hairless, lower surface gland dotted and with appressed non glandular hairs all over or largely confined to midrib, margins and lateral veins. Fruit an ellipsoid capsule about 1.8 cm long. Seeds and hooks 1 per valve, 0.8 cm long, covered with hairs in longitudinal strands that expand on wetting.

Distinguishing features: Distinguished by lower branch junctions with 3–5 (rarely 2) spines; leaves without red midrib; flowerhead spike-like with single yellow flowers in axils, sepals hairless or with a few glandular hairs towards the apex, margins of sepals entire; stamens 4, 2 longer exserted, fertile and hairless, other 2 smaller, infertile of fertile with hairy filaments.

Dispersal: Spread by seed.

Confused With: Barleria lupulina, another spiny species naturalised in Qld and the NT but this species has leaves with a prominent red mid-vein.