Spotted eremophila | |
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Eremophila brevifolia in Maranoa Gardens, Victoria | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
Genus: | Eremophila |
Species: | E. brevifolia |
Binomial name | |
Eremophila brevifolia | |
Synonyms [1] | |
List
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Eremophila brevifolia, also known as spotted eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, open, spindly shrub with sticky, short, serrated leaves and white to pink flowers and is only known from a few scattered populations.
Eremophila brevifolia is an erect, open, spreading shrub with thin branches and which usually grows to a height of 2 m (7 ft). The leaves are arranged alternately along the branches and are mostly 4–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long, 3–8 mm (0.1–0.3 in) wide, sticky, glabrous, broad egg-shaped to almost circular and have serrated or toothed margins. [2] [3] [4]
The flowers are usually borne singly in leaf axils on a straight stalk 1.5–3 mm (0.06–0.1 in) long. There are 5 narrow, pointed, green sepals which are 2–4.5 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long and mostly glabrous. The petals are 6–11 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and joined at their lower end to form a tube. The tube is a shade of white to pale purple on the outside and white with yellow spots inside. The petal lobes are glabrous except for the lower lobe which is covered with long hairs near its base. The inside of the tube is also filled with long, soft hairs. There are 4 stamens which are enclosed in the petal tube. Flowering mostly occurs from July to September and is followed by fruits which are dry, oblong and 2.5–4.5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. [2] [3] [5]
The species was first formally described by Friedrich Gottlieb Bartling in 1845 as Myoporum brevifolium and the description was published in Plantae Preissianae . [6] [7] In 1847, Alphonse de Candolle changed the name to Pseudopholidia brevifolia [8] [9] and in 1859, Ferdinand von Mueller changed it to Eremophila brevifolia. [10] [11] The specific epithet (brevifolia) is derived from the Latin words brevis meaning "short" [12] : 708 and folia meaning "leaves". [12] : 466
Eremophila brevifolia is only known from three small, scattered areas near Geraldton, Northampton and Kellerberrin in the Geraldton Sandplains, Avon Wheatbelt and Jarrah Forest biogeographic regions [5] where it grows near rivers. [2] [3] [13]
Eremophila brevifolia is classified as "Priority Two" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, [5] meaning that it is poorly known and from only one or a few locations. [14]
The small, delicate white flowers of this species contrast with its bright, glossy green leaves. It is a hardy plant, resistant to frost and to drought. It is easily propagated from cuttings and will grow in a range of soils and aspects, including partial shade. [4]
Eremophila oldfieldii, commonly known as pixie bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with rough bark, broad, flat or narrow fleshy leaves and red, orange or yellow flowers.
Eremophila maitlandii, commonly known as Shark Bay poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a silvery-grey shrub with linear leaves and lilac-coloured to light purple flowers and is common in coastal areas between Shark Bay and Carnarvon.
Eremophila microtheca, also known as heath-like eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with densely hairy branches and leaves, narrow leaves and pale lilac-coloured flowers and which emits a strong odour.
Myoporum oppositifolium, commonly known as twin-leaf myoporum, is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. It is easily distinguished from others in the genus by the combination of glabrous leaves and branches, its opposite leaf arrangement and its serrated leaves. Its distribution is restricted to the extreme south-west of Western Australia.
Eremophila arguta is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area in the centre of Western Australia. It is a small, rarely seen shrub with long, arching branches and small, holly-like leaves, known from a few remote locations.
Eremophila conglomerata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to central areas of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with small, serrated leaves and mauve to blue flowers that extend well beyond the foliage.
Eremophila elderi, commonly known as aromatic emu bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. It is endemic to central Australia where it grows near the border between Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. It is an erect, aromatic shrub with sticky leaves and branches and usually pale coloured to white flowers. Its specific epithet (elderi) honours an early Australian businessman, Thomas Elder.
Eremophila flabellata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small shrub with serrated leaves, broad serrated sepals and pink, purple or mauve flowers.
Eremophila georgei is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a common, widespread shrub in central areas of the state, often growing on rocky ridges and hillsides and has serrated leaves and mauve, purple or pink flowers.
Eremophila lehmanniana is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub, usually with short, wide, serrated leaves and white to lilac-coloured flowers. It occurs in the south west of Western Australia.
Eremophila obliquisepala is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small, compact shrub with serrated leave, blue to purple flowers and unusually-shaped sepals.
Eremophila obovata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a low, compact shrub with lilac to purple flowers growing mainly in the Northern Territory and Queensland but also Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales.
Eremophila pungens is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is an erect, sticky shrub with broad, serrated-edged leaves which end in a sharp spine and purple or violet flowers.
Eremophila punicea, commonly known as crimson eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a small, bushy shrub with small grey leaves, hairy branches and attractive pink flowers growing in areas east of Geraldton.
Eremophila serrulata, commonly known as serrate-leaved eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub whose leaves are sticky and have small serrations, and flowers that have green, yellowish-green or yellowish-brown petals.
Eremophila simulans is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with broad, serrated leaves and violet to purple flowers.
Eremophila glabra subsp. albicans is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is similar to other shrubs in the species Eremophila glabra but it distinguished from them by its usually grey, felty leaves, dull yellow, orange or red flowers with hairy sepals, growing in sandy soils on dunes and limestone outcrops between Bunbury and Shark Bay.
Hemiphora bartlingii, commonly known as woolly dragon, is a flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with branches covered with greyish, rusty-coloured hairs, leaves with a blistered appearance and with white, pink or purple flowers over an extended period.
Boronia fastigiata, commonly known as bushy boronia, is a plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with small leaves and small groups of red, pink or purple, four-petalled flowers near the ends of the branches.
Hibbertia striata is a species of flowering plant in the family Dilleniaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub with linear leaves and yellow flowers usually with thirty stamens arranged in five bundles around five glabrous carpels.