Acaena echinata

Sheeps Burr at Holt, ACT

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Identification history

Acaena echinata	15 Jul 2021	Tapirlord
Acaena echinata	15 Jul 2021	Tapirlord
Unidentified	14 Jul 2021	sangio7

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8 comments

dcnicholls wrote:

14 Jul 2021

Not a fern

sangio7 wrote:

15 Jul 2021

Fair enough, I had my doubts but couldn't find any other category it seemed to fit either.

dcnicholls wrote:

15 Jul 2021

It is a flowering plant, but I don’t know what category to use

sangio7 wrote:

15 Jul 2021

Thanks. I'll keep an eye on it and see what it looks like if it flowers this season.

Tapirlord wrote:

15 Jul 2021

It's a sheep's burr, in other wildflowers and herbs, :)

sangio7 wrote:

15 Jul 2021

Thanks. In my quick flick through the OWFH field guide I guess I was in too much of a hurry to get through all 507 species to look closely enough at the first one! :-)
Also I didn't think it looked like it any of the sheep's burrs I'd seen before, though I've generally only seen them at a later stage with their burrs on (and cursed them). This specimen seems more prostrate as well.
I'm wondering how you differentiate between A. echinata and A. novae-zelandiae at this early stage of growth. Is there a way or will I have to wait until flowering time?

Tapirlord wrote:

15 Jul 2021

The primary difference between A.echinata & A.novae-zelandiae (besides the flower and fruits) is that the leaves of the former are 9-15 foliate (Sometimes as high as 25), while the latter tend to be around 7-9 foliate. I also tend to find that A.novae-zelandiae tends to favour wetter sites while the other Acaenas in the region, echinata & Ovina are more variable and as a general rule more commonplace within suburban reserves (Although that is just an observation). Hope this helps :).

sangio7 wrote:

15 Jul 2021

Thanks very much for that - it helps to know what to look for. I'll have a closer look at the leaves next time I'm passing (my photos could be better for that purpose) and also watch what happens come spring and summer. It is actually a fairly wet spot, at the bottom of a slope in a very wet year with a lot of surface and sub-surface flow, and is also quite sheltered under a shrub.

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