Eremaea (plant)

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Eremaea
Eremaea asterocarpa gnangarra.jpg
Eremaea asterocarpa
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Subfamily: Myrtoideae
Tribe: Melaleuceae
Genus: Eremaea
Lindl. [1]
Synonyms [2]

EremaeopsisKuntze

Eremaea is a genus of woody shrubs and small trees in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Little study of the genus as a whole had been undertaken until Roger Hnatiuk researched Eremaea and published a paper in 1993, A revision of the genus Eremaea (Myrtaceae) in Nuytsia. The first species to be described was Eremaea pauciflora (as Metrosideros pauciflora) in 1837 and by 1964, the number of species known had increased to 12. Hnatiuk recognised 16 species, 5 subspecies and a number of varieties.

Contents

Description

Plants in the genus Eremaea are shrubs or small trees with small leaves that are arranged alternately on the stem and are dotted with oil glands. The flowers have both male and female parts and are solitary or in clusters of two or three on the ends of the branches. There are 5 sepals, and 5 petals which fall off as the flower matures. There are many stamens, all longer than the petals and usually arranged in groups of five. The stamens give the flowers their colour, which may be pink, deep pink, orange or violet. The fruit is a woody capsule containing one to six small seeds. [3]

Eremaea fimbriata Eremaea fimbriata 0109.jpg
Eremaea fimbriata

Taxonomy and naming

The genus Eremaea was first named and formally described in 1839 by John Lindley in A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony [4] [5] [6] in which he noted "Of this genus, which may be called Eremaea ... there are three species, of which the only pretty kind is E. fimbriata ." (The species now known as Eremaea pauciflora had been described earlier but given the name Metrosideros pauciflora.)

The genus Eremaea is closely related to Melaleuca , Beaufortia Regelia and several others, differing mainly in the way the anthers are attached to the stalks of the stamens, and in the way they open to release their pollen. Eremaea is most closely related to Regelia and Calothamnus as these groups have anthers that open by longitudinal slits or pores. Eremaea can be distinguished from Regelia by the number of flowers in the flowering heads - in Regelia the flowers are in dense heads, whereas in Eremaea they are solitary or in groups of two or three. Calothamnus species have longer leaves than both of these genera. [7] In 2014, Lyndley Craven and others proposed, mainly on the basis of DNA evidence, that species in the genus Eremaea, along with those in Beaufortia , Conothamnus , Calothamnus , Lamarchea , Petraeomyrtus , Phymatocarpus and Regelia be transferred to Melaleuca . [8]

The name Eremaea is from a poetic Greek word eremaios meaning "solitary", referring to the few-flowered inflorescences on the ends of the branches. [3] [9]

Distribution and habitat

Fifteen of the sixteen species of Eremaea occur only in the South West Botanical Province of Western Australia. [10] [11] ( Eremaea pauciflora also occurs in the Eremaean province.) [12] They are a significant part of the shrub layer in these areas.

Ecology

Species in the genus Eremaea can recover from fire by reseeding when the plant is killed and the fruits open and release their seeds. Some species also form a lignotuber so that well-established plants can resprout after fire. [10]

Conservation

Some species of Eremaea are common within their range but several, including Eremaea violacea subsp. Dobaderry Swamp, are listed as "Priority One" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [3] meaning that they are known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk. No species has been declared rare. [13]

Use in cultivation

Some species of Eremaea have been grown in cultivation but with varying success. Eremaea beaufortioides has grown well in sunny situations with excellent drainage producing a vigorous, spreading shrub. Grafting onto Kunzea ambigua has been successful. Some other species grow well in Kings Park but are rarely seen in the eastern states. [14] Their orange colour, not common in Australian natives, and their habit of having flowers on the ends of their branches make them worthy garden subjects. [15]

Species list

The following is a list of the species of Eremaea as described by Roger Hnatiuk [10] and recognised by the Western Australian Herbarium: [3] [16]

Related Research Articles

<i>Melaleuca</i> Genus of plants in the Myrtle family

Melaleuca is a genus of nearly 300 species of plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, commonly known as paperbarks, honey-myrtles or tea-trees. They range in size from small shrubs that rarely grow to more than 16 m (52 ft) high, to trees up to 35 m (115 ft). Their flowers generally occur in groups, forming a "head" or "spike" resembling a brush used for cleaning bottles, containing up to 80 individual flowers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myrtaceae</span> Myrtle family of plants

Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All species are woody, contain essential oils, and have flower parts in multiples of four or five. The leaves are evergreen, alternate to mostly opposite, simple, and usually entire. The flowers have a base number of five petals, though in several genera, the petals are minute or absent. The stamens are usually very conspicuous, brightly coloured, and numerous.

<i>Callistemon</i> Genus of flowering plants

Callistemon is a genus of shrubs in the family Myrtaceae, first described as a genus in 1814. The entire genus is endemic to Australia but widely cultivated in many other regions and naturalised in scattered locations. Their status as a separate taxon is in doubt, some authorities accepting that the difference between callistemons and melaleucas is not sufficient for them to be grouped in a separate genus.

<i>Beaufortia</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants

Beaufortia is a genus of woody shrubs and small trees in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Southwest Australia. The genus Beaufortia is closely related to Melaleuca, Calothamnus, Regelia and several others, differing mainly in the way the anthers are attached to the stalks of the stamens, and in the way they open to release their pollen. Beaufortia anthers are attached at one end and open by splitting at the other.

<i>Calothamnus</i> Genus of flowering plants

Calothamnus is a genus of shrubs in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The common names one-sided bottlebrush or claw flower are given to some species due to their having the flowers clustered on one side of the stem or because of the claw-like appearance of their flowers. Calothamnus species are generally medium to tall woody shrubs with crowded leaves. In most species the leaves are crowded and linear in shape, and the flowers are usually arranged in dense clusters. The petals are small and fall off the flower soon after it opens but the stamens are long, numerous and usually bright red.

<i>Melaleuca linearis</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca linearis, commonly known as narrow-leaved bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. It is a medium-sized shrub with narrow leaves with a rigid point, and red flower spikes in late spring or early summer.

<i>Calothamnus rupestris</i> Species of flowering plant

Calothamnus rupestris, commonly known as mouse ears or granite net-bush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with short, stiff, prickly leaves and pink to red flowers in spring.

<i>Eremaea pauciflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremaea pauciflora is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with small leaves and orange flowers at the ends of its branches. It has the most widespread distribution of the eremaeas with considerable variation in its characteristics so that three varieties are recognised. It was the first Eremaea to be described formally but was not originally given the name Eremaea.

<i>Conothamnus</i> Genus of flowering plants

Conothamnus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. They are woody shrubs similar to melaleucas but differ in that their leaves are usually arranged in opposite pairs and the maximum number of seeds per fruit is three.

<i>Eremaea fimbriata</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremaea fimbriata is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small shrub with small leaves and single purple flowers on the ends of the branches. The fruits are woody, urn-shaped with a small opening at the top. Unlike other eremaeas which remain dormant during winter, Eremaea fimbriata begins the new year's growth in July or August.

Calothamnus lehmannii, commonly known as dwarf claw flower, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low-lying, sometimes ground-hugging shrub with long, thin, cylindrical leaves and clusters of red flowers that are smaller than any others in the genus Calothamnus.

<i>Calothamnus preissii</i> Species of flowering plant

Calothamnus preissii is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low-lying, sometimes ground-hugging shrub with needle-like leaves and reddish-purple flowers in spring.

<i>Calothamnus robustus</i> Species of flowering plant

Calothamnus robustus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with cylindrical leaves and small clusters of red flowers in spring, followed by fruits with have two prominent lobes.

<i>Eremaea beaufortioides</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremaea beaufortioides is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub with oval to egg-shaped leaves, and orange flowers in spring. Flowers appear in groups of one to six on the ends of long branches formed in the previous year.

<i>Eremaea brevifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremaea brevifolia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, compact to spreading shrub with small, crowded leaves and orange-coloured flowers in early spring, followed by fruits with a rough outer surface.

<i>Eremaea <span style="font-style:normal;">×</span> codonocarpa</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremaea × codonocarpa is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is thought to be a stabilised hybrid between two subspecies of Eremaea. It is a small shrub with triangular leaves and flowers a shade of pink to purple on the ends of the branches.

<i>Eremaea ebracteata</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremaea ebracteata is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with narrow, mostly linear leaves and which bears orange-coloured flowers on the long branches of the same season's growth. The fruits have a surface that is rough and lumpy.

Eremaea × phoenicea is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is thought to be a stabilised hybrid between two subspecies of Eremaea. It is an erect to spreading shrub with pointed, elliptic leaves and small groups of flowers, a shade of pink to red, on the ends of the branches.

<i>Eremaea violacea</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremaea violacea is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is low, spreading shrub with narrow, prickly leaves and which bears violet-coloured flowers on short side branches.

<i>Beaufortia sprengelioides</i> Species of flowering plant

Beaufortia sprengelioides is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a rigid, spreading shrub with crowded, round leaves and small, roughly spherical heads of pale pink flowers on the ends of its branches. It was one of the first Australian plant species collected by Europeans and has had several name changes since then.

References

  1. ↑ Kubitzki, Klaus, ed. (2010). The families and genera of vascular plants sapindales, cucurbitales, myrtaceae. Heidelberg: Springer. p. 238. ISBN   9783642143977 . Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  2. ↑ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Eremaea Lindl.". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  4. ↑ "Eremaea". APNI. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  5. ↑ Lindley, John (1839). A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony. Piccadilly, London: James Ridgway. p. xi. Retrieved 8 August 2015. A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony 1839.
  6. ↑ International Plant Names Index, Myrtaceae Eremaea fimbriata Lindl.
  7. ↑ Rye, Barbara Lynette (2009). "An interim key to the Western Australian tribes and genera of Myrtaceae" (PDF). Nuytsia. 19 (2): 313–323. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  8. ↑ Craven, Lyn A.; Edwards, Robert D.; Cowley, Kirsten J. (30 June 2014). "New combinations and names in Melaleuca (Myrtaceae)". Taxon. 63 (3): 663–670. doi: 10.12705/633.38 .
  9. ↑ "Eremaea beaufortioides". Australian Native Plants Society Australia. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  10. 1 2 3 Hnatiuk, Roger J. (1993). "A revision of the genus Eremaea (Myrtaceae)" (PDF). Nuytsia. 9 (2). Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  11. ↑ Govaerts, R., Sobral, N., Ashton, P., Barrie, F., Holst, B.K., Landrum, L.L., Matsumoto, K., Fernanda Mazine, F., Nic Lughadha, E., Proença, C. & al. (2008). World Checklist of Myrtaceae: 1-455. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  12. ↑ "Eremaea pauciflora". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  13. ↑ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  14. ↑ Wrigley, John W.; Fagg, Murray (1983). Australian native plants : a manual for their propagation, cultivation and use in landscaping (2nd ed.). Sydney: Collins. pp. 211–212. ISBN   978-0002165754.
  15. ↑ Doig, Ross. "Those Other Myrtaceae". Australian Native plants Society Australia. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  16. ↑ "Eremaea". Western Australian Herbarium. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
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