Richea dracophylla R.Br. The species was first formally described by botanist Robert Brown in 1810 in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae, based on collections made on kunyani. The Genus Richea was named for Claude Riche, a naturalist on Bruni d'Entrecasteaux's voyage in search of La Pérouse 1791-3.

The expedition visited Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) in 1793 and Esperance Bay (Western Australia). During the expedition’s sojourn at Esperance Riche became separated from his colleagues for two days and was nearly given up for dead. It was learned from Labillardière that a boat had been sent from Esperance to the 'main shore', and Claude Riche accompanied the party. Leaving the beach on which he had landed, he lost his way while botanising.

Labillardière formed one of a search party that finally found him after an absence of 54 hours. He had been almost without food, his slender supply being eked out with fruits of the shrub now known as Leucopogon richei. Riche had lost all his specimens, but Labillardière made a collection in the search after him. These specimens included Leucopogon richei.

The search party’s kindness was repaid by Riche when he later secured the release of Labillardière, artist Jean Piron and 50 members of the expedition’s crew from gaol in Java. Riche’s collections were seized in Java by the Dutch and, unlike those of Labillardière, were never able to be retrieved.