Synaphea odocoileops

Synaphea odocoileops is a tufted, compact to sprawling shrub that typically grows to a height of 20–59 cm (7.9–23.2 in) with stems up to 20–70 cm (7.9–27.6 in) long and covered with soft hairs. Its leaves are divided, tripartite or pinnatipartite, 60–120 mm (2.4–4.7 in) long and 70–150 mm (2.8–5.9 in) wide, on a petiole 20–90 mm (0.79–3.54 in) long, the end lobes erect, tapering linear, 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) wide and soon become glabrous. The flowers are borne in spikes 30–130 mm (1.2–5.1 in) long on a peduncle up to 150–300 mm (5.9–11.8 in) long, the flowers widely spaced on the spikes. There are more or less glabrous bracts 1 mm (0.039 in) long at the base of the peduncle. The perianth has a more or less widely opening, the upper tepal 3.5–4.0 mm (0.14–0.16 in) long and 1.5 mm (0.059 in) wide, the lower tepal 2.8 mm (0.11 in) long. The stigma is egg-shaped with prominent lobes, 0.8–1.0 mm (0.031–0.039 in) long, 1.2–1.3 mm (0.047–0.051 in) wide with a sparsely hairy ovary. Flowering occurs from August to October and the fruit is oval with a short beak, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and covered with long, soft hairs.^[2][3]

Synaphea odocoileops was first formally described in 1995 by Alex George in the Flora of Australia from specimens he collected near the Elgin railway siding in 1993.^[2][4] The specific epithet (odocoileops) means 'mule deer-like', alluding to the shape of the leaves.^[5]