Eremophila calcicola

Last updated

Eremophila calcicola
Status DECF P2.svg
Priority Two — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC) [1]
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. calcicola
Binomial name
Eremophila calcicola

Eremophila calcicola is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south of Western Australia. It is a low, spreading, short-lived shrub with broad leaves, and pale, greenish-yellow flowers over a long period.

Contents

Description

Eremophila calcicola is an spreading shrub growing to 0.8 m (3 ft) high and 2 m (7 ft) wide. The leaves are arranged alternately, mostly 20–80 mm (0.8–3 in) long, 3–15 mm (0.1–0.6 in) wide, elliptic to lance-shaped with a few white hairs. Unlike in some other eremophilas, the leaves are not clustered on the ends of the branches. [3] [4]

The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on an S-shaped stalk 14–17 mm (0.6–0.7 in) long. There are 5 overlapping, narrow triangular sepals which are 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and green with a few hairs. The petals are 14–19 mm (0.6–0.7 in) long, pale yellowish-green and joined at their lower end to form a tube. The tips of the petals are different sizes and are curved backwards. The inside and outside of the petal tube have a few scattered glandular hairs. The 4 stamens are much longer than the petal tube and are paired. Flowering time is from May to October. [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Eremophila calcicola was first formally described by Robert Davis in 2016 and the description was published in Nuytsia . [5] [3] It was formerly known as Eremophila sp. Parmango Road. The specific epithet (calcicola) is derived from the Latin calx meaning "lime" [6] :484 and -cola meaning "dweller" [6] :217 referring to the soil type in which this species grows. [3]

Distribution and habitat

This eremophila is found south of Balladonia in the Mallee biogeographic region where it grows in sandy, calcareous soil in open woodland. It appears in large numbers after bushfire, quickly reaches maturity, produces large number of flowers then dying of old age after a few years. [3]

Conservation status

Eremophila calcicola is classified as "Priority Two" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [1] meaning that it is poorly known and from only one or a few locations. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Eremophila nivea</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila nivea, commonly known as silky eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. In nature it is a rare shrub with hairy branches and leaves, and blue, purple or violet flowers.

<i>Eremophila microtheca</i> Species of flowering plant

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.

<i>Eremophila compressa</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila compressa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub whose leaves have 2 or 3 prominent teeth near their ends, and white or cream-coloured flowers.

Eremophila grandiflora is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a large shrub with shiny leaves and the largest flowers in its genus and is only known from a restricted area near Paynes Find.

Eremophila koobabbiensis, commonly known as Koobabbie eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy branches, pale green leaves and lilac to pale mauve flowers. It is only known from a single farm where there were 96 mature plants in 2010, but specimens grown from cuttings survive in Victoria (Australia) and South Australia, as well as in Kings Park, Perth.

Eremophila pallida is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small, spreading shrub with hairy stems, leaves with a few serrations and reddish purple to violet flowers.

Eremophila buirchellii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the Mount Augustus National Park in Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with densely clustered leaves, pink, bell-shaped flowers and with most parts of the plant covered with greyish, branched hairs.

Eremophila ballythunnensis is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small, spreading shrub with narrow oval leaves and mauve-purple flowers with densely hairy sepals.

Eremophila daddii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a large shrub with sticky branches, hairy leaves and brown and cream-coloured flowers blotched with purple.

Eremophila ferricola is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with lance-shaped leaves and yellowish brown to greenish yellow flowers covered with fine hairs. The species is only known from a single location, growing on a banded ironstone hill.

Eremophila hamulata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, woody shrub with sticky branches, narrow, hooked leaves and hairy mauve-purple flowers.

Eremophila jamesiorum is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a wispy, sticky shrub with narrow linear leaves and white flowers tinged with pink or mauve. It is only known from a few locations in the Gibson Desert.

Eremophila pusilliflora is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, open shrub with narrow egg-shaped leaves and flowers which vary in colour from red to cream with a red tinge. It grows in the Pilbara region.

Eremophila laccata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to an area near Carnegie in Western Australia. It is a small, low, spindly shrub with scattered, linear leaves, and pink, flattened bell-shaped flowers.

Eremophila subangustifolia is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a highly branched shrub which produces a slightly unpleasant odour and has its younger parts densely covered with greyish hairs. The leaves are scattered along the branches and the mostly white flowers are borne singly in leaf axils. It only occurs in a small area near Eneabba and had previously been known as E. microtheca subsp. 'narrow leaves'.

Eremophila regia is low-growing shrub with pink to red flowers, small thread-like leaves and that is endemic to Western Australia. It grows on rocky hilltops in the Princess Ranges.

Eremophila resiliens is a low-growing shrub with deep reddish purple flowers, woolly hairy leaves and that is endemic to Western Australia. It grows on slopes and breakaways near Lake Carnegie.

Eremophila scrobiculata is low, spreading shrub with sessile, linear leaves and lilac-coloured flowers and that is endemic to Western Australia. It grows on the slopes of low, stony hills on Wanna Station.

Eremophila victoriae is small shrub with sessile, egg-shaped leaves and purple flowers and that is endemic to Western Australia. It is only known from two populations in the Great Victoria Desert.

Eremophila yinnetharrensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of Western Australia. It is an erect, wispy shrub with sessile, lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base and purple flowers. It is only known from near Yinnetharra Station in the Gascoyne region.

References

  1. 1 2 "Eremophila calcicola". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  2. "Eremophila calcicola". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Brown, Andrew P.; Davis, Robert W. (2016). "Eremophila buirchellii and E. calcicola (Scrophulariaceae), two new species from Western Australia". Nuytsia. 27: 213–216.
  4. 1 2 Brown, Andrew; Buirchell, Bevan (2011). A field guide to the eremophilas of Western Australia (1st ed.). Hamilton Hill, W.A.: Simon Nevill Publications. p. 312. ISBN   9780980348156.
  5. "Eremophila calcicola". APNI. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  6. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  7. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 28 July 2016.