Eremophila decipiens

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Slender fuchsia
Eremophila decipiens.jpg
Eremophila decipiens in Geelong Botanic Gardens
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. decipiens
Binomial name
Eremophila decipiens

Eremophila decipiens, commonly known as slender fuchsia bush or narrow-leaved fuchsia bush (although it is not closely related to Fuchsia ) is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to an area extending from the south-west of Western Australia to southern parts of South Australia. It is low, sprawling shrub with lance-shaped leaves and red, orange or yellow flowers on a long, S-shaped stalk.

Contents

Description

Eremophila decipiens is a low, sprawling shrub with many tangled branches growing to a height of between 0.3 and 1.0 m (1 and 3 ft). The ends of the branches and the leaves are sticky and shiny due to the presence of resin. The leaves are arranged alternately, sometimes densely clustered, sometimes scattered along the stems. They are glabrous, linear to lance-shaped, sometimes with a few irregular teeth on the margins, mostly 15–46 mm (0.6–2 in) long and 1.5–9 mm (0.06–0.4 in) wide. [2] [3] [4]

The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a S-shaped stalk 11–22 mm (0.4–0.9 in) long and at least twice as long as the longest sepal. There are 5 egg-shaped to triangular, slightly overlapping sepals mostly 3–6 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long which are slightly hairy and sticky. The petals are 15–30 mm (0.6–1 in) long and joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petal tube is red, orange or sometimes yellow and lacks spots. The outer surface of the petal tube and lobes are usually glabrous, often sticky while the inside is covered with short hairs. The four stamens extend beyond the end of the tube. Flowering occurs from February to December, [2] [3] [4] although in the Esperance region mostly between July and November. [5] The fruits are dry, cylinder-shaped to almost spherical, glabrous with a papery covering and are 4–7.5 millimetres (0.2–0.3 in) long. [2] [3] [4]

E. decipiens decipiens growing near Salmon Gums Eremophila decipiens decipiens (habit).jpg
E. decipiens decipiens growing near Salmon Gums
E. decipiens decipiens leaves and flowers, near Hyden Eremophila decipiens decipiens (leaves and flowers.jpg
E. decipiens decipiens leaves and flowers, near Hyden

Eremophila decipiens is sometimes mistaken for Eremophila glabra but the latter species lacks a long, S-shaped flower stalk. [6]

Taxonomy

The species was first formally described in 1921 by Carl Hansen Ostenfeld in Biologiske meddelelser, Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab. [7] The specific epithet is from the Latin decipiens, 'deceiving', 'false', referring to the similarity of this species to E. maculata . [2] [3] [8]

Two subspecies are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

Eremophila decipiens subsp. linearifolia was first formally described as Eremophila maculata var. linearifolia in 1920 by Spencer Le Marchant Moore. [11] It is much less common than subspecies decipiens. [3]

The epithet linearifolia is from Latin, meaning 'long narrow leaved'. [2] [3]

Distribution and habitat

Eremophila decipiens subsp. decipiens occurs throughout the south-west botanical province but also extends north to Wiluna and east across the Nullarbor Plain to the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. Subspecies linearifolia has a more restricted distribution in the eastern wheatbelt and goldfields. Both subspecies grow in a variety of soil types often in Eucalyptus woodland. [2] [3] [5] [12] [13]

Ecology

Most species of Eremophila are insect pollinated [14] - E.decipiens is one of the 40 or so that are pollinated by birds. [5]

Conservation status

Eremophila decipiens is classified as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [12]

Use in horticulture

Slender fuchsia bush is a hardy garden plant which will grow in most soils in full sun or partial shade and will tolerate harsh drought conditions or severe frosts. Propagation is very difficult from seed but cuttings strike readily when mist is not used. It is long-lived in the garden and some specimens are more than 30 years old. Older specimens respond well to even heavy pruning. [6] [15]

Related Research Articles

<i>Eremophila maculata</i> Species of plant

Eremophila maculata, also known as spotted emu bush or spotted fuchsia-bush, is a plant in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae, and is endemic to Australia. It is the most widespread of its genus in nature and probably the most frequently cultivated Eremophila. It is a spreading, often densely branched shrub with variable leaf shape and flower colour, but the other features of the flowers such as the size and shape of the parts are consistent. The inside of the flower is often, but not always, spotted.

<i>Eremophila oppositifolia</i> Species of plant

Eremophila oppositifolia, commonly known as weeooka, twin-leaf emu bush and mountain sandalwood, is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae, and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with its leaves arranged in opposite pairs and has cream to red or sometimes maroon coloured flowers. It occurs in all mainland states, but not the Northern Territory.

<i>Eremophila latrobei</i> Species of plant

Eremophila latrobei, commonly known as crimson turkey bush, native fuchsia, Latrobe's emu bush, grey fuchsia bush, warty fuchsia bush and Georgina poison bush is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is an erect, highly branched shrub with usually linear leaves and red to purple-red flowers and which occurs in all mainland states, including the Northern Territory but excluding Victoria.

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

Eremophila denticulata, also known as toothed eremophila, toothed poverty bush and Fitzgerald eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with red flowers and leaves that have toothed margins.

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

Eremophila fraseri, commonly known as burra or jilarnu, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with all above-ground parts of the plant, apart from the petals, sticky and shiny due to the presence of a large amount of resin. The petals are coloured white, cream, pink and brown.

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

Eremophila flaccida is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with sticky, shiny foliage and large, attractive flowers. There are two subspecies, one common and relatively widespread, the other known from only a few locations.

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

Eremophila gibbosa, commonly known as humped fuchsia bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with broad, shiny, sticky leaves and yellowish-green flowers and which often forms dense thickets.

<i>Eremophila gilesii</i> Species of plant

Eremophila gilesii, commonly known Charleville turkey bush, green turkey bush, desert fuchsia and Giles emu bush is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is usually a low, spreading shrub with pinkish-lilac to purple flowers and is widespread in the Northern Territory and all mainland states except Victoria. It is considered a difficult agricultural weed in some parts of Queensland but is often used as a bush medicine by Aboriginal people.

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

Eremophila goodwinii, commonly known purple fuchsia bush and Goodwin's emu bush is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a small, spreading or erect shrub with most parts sticky due to the presence of resin, tapering leaves and pale lilac to mauve flowers. It occurs in New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Queensland.

<i>Eremophila obovata</i> Species of plant

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.

<i>Eremophila paisleyi</i> Species of plant

Eremophila paisleyi is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a rounded, broom-shaped shrub with white or lilac-coloured flowers which occurs in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

<i>Eremophila parvifolia</i> Species of plant

Eremophila parvifolia is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub which has small, usually egg-shaped leaves and blackish flower buds which open to purple flowers which are white with purple spots inside. There are two subspecies, both of which are found in Western Australia and one which is also found in South Australia.

Eremophila petrophila is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a tall, erect, open shrub with rough branches, narrow, sticky leaves and pale lilac-coloured flowers.

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

Eremophila phyllopoda is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub, sometimes round or flat-topped with sticky, hairy leaves and flowers ranging in colour from pink or lilac to purple.

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

Eremophila platycalyx is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with its branches and leaves covered with a layer of matted hairs, although the hairs are sometimes obscured by resin. The shape of the leaves is variable, depending on subspecies, the sepals are often brightly coloured and the petals are cream-coloured, sometimes spotted on the outside. Two subspecies have been described but others have been discovered although not as yet formally described.

<i>Eremophila platythamnos</i> Species of plant

Eremophila platythamnos, commonly known as desert foxglove, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is an erect shrub with short, broad leaves and purple, mauve, blue or pink flowers.

Eremophila rostrata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with cylinder-shaped leaves, small sepals and glabrous, pink to deep red petals. There are two subspecies, both of which are critically endangered.

Eremophila shonae is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub or a low spreading shrub, depending on subspecies and has very sticky branches and leaves due to the presence of large amounts of resin. The leaves are narrow and the flowers are mauve to purple and white inside with purple spots.

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.

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

Eremophila spectabilis, commonly known as showy poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a dense, erect shrub with narrow, greyish leaves and blue, mauve or purple flowers.

References

  1. ↑ "Eremophila decipiens". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 593–597. ISBN   9781877058165.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Brown, Andrew; Buirchell, Bevan (2011). A field guide to the eremophilas of Western Australia (1st ed.). Hamilton Hill, W.A.: Simon Nevill Publications. pp. 75–76. ISBN   9780980348156.
  4. 1 2 3 "Eremophila decipiens". Electronic Flora of South Australia. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 Archer, William. "Eremophila decipiens". Esperance Wildflowers. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  6. 1 2 Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. pp. 83–84. ISBN   9781876473655.
  7. ↑ "Eremophila decipiens". APNI. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  8. ↑ Francis Aubie Sharr (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings. Kardinya, Western Australia: Four Gables Press. p. 179. ISBN   9780958034180.
  9. ↑ "Eremophila decipiens subsp. decipiens". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  10. ↑ "Eremophila decipiens subsp. linearifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  11. ↑ "Eremophila maculata subsp. linearifolia". APNI. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  12. 1 2 "Eremophila decipiens". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  13. ↑ Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 334. ISBN   0646402439.
  14. ↑ Chinnock, Robert J. (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1 ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. p. 50. ISBN   9781877058165.
  15. ↑ Wrigley, John W.; Fagg, Murray (1983). Australian native plants : a manual for their propagation, cultivation and use in landscaping (2nd ed.). Sydney: Collins. p. 212213. ISBN   0002165759.
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