Eremophila duttonii

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Eremophila duttonii
Eremophila duttonii.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. duttonii
Binomial name
Eremophila duttonii
Synonyms [1]
  • Bondtia duttonii Kuntze orth. var.
  • Bontia duttonii(F.Muell.) Kuntze
  • Eremophila calycinaS.Moore
  • Stenochilus calycinusS.Moore Kraenzl.
  • Stenochilus duttoniKraenzl. orth. var.
  • Stenochilus duttonii(F.Muell.) Kraenzl.

Eremophila duttonii, commonly known as budda or harlequin fuchsia bush is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to mainland Australia where it occurs in all the mainland states except Victoria. It is a shrub or small tree with dark green, sticky leaves and flowers that are red on top fading to yellow-green below. Extracts from this plant have been shown to have significant antimicrobial activity.

Contents

Description

Eremophila duttonii is a shrub or small tree growing to a height of between 1 and 3.5 m (3 and 10 ft) with branches that are rough due to old leaf bases, hairy, shiny and sticky due to the presence of resin. The leaves are arranged alternately along the branches, sometimes clustered near the ends of them and are mostly 30–40 mm (1–2 in) long, 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide, linear to lance-shaped, tapering towards the ends and sticky. [2] [3] [4] [5]

The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a stalk 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) long. There are 5 overlapping, sticky, egg-shaped to elliptic sepals which are 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long. The petals are 25–35 mm (0.98–1.4 in) long and joined at their lower end to form a tube. The top of the petal tube is red to orange, fading to yellowish-green below and inside the tube. Occasionally the petal tube is all yellow. The tube often has a few short hairs inside and out and is sticky on the outside. The 4 stamens extend beyond the end of the tube. Flowering occurs from June to September and is followed by fruits which are dry, oval to cone-shaped with a pointed end and are 7.5–13 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Eremophila duttonii flower Eremophila duttonii flower.jpg
Eremophila duttonii flower

Taxonomy and naming

Eremophila duttonii was first formally described in 1858 by Ferdinand von Mueller in Quarterly Journal and Transactions of the Pharmaceutical Society of Victoria. [7] The specific epithet (duttonii) honours Francis Dutton, who was twice Premier of South Australia. [2] [3]

Distribution and habitat

The most westerly distribution of Eremophila duttonii is the Warburton area of Western Australia. [8] It occurs in southern Northern Territory, South Australia, [5] south-western Queensland and western New South Wales as far east as Broken Hill. [4] It grows in red-brown sandy soils on plains and hills. [4] [5]

Uses

Indigenous use

The Arrente people who call the plant aherre-intenhe, collect the leaves for medicinal use. [9] These uses included treatment of skin complaints, including those caused by the scabies mite. It was used as a gargle for sore throat and for painful eye and ear problems. [10]

Medical applications

Study of six species of eremophilas showed that E. duttonii had the highest antimicrobial potency, especially against gram-positive bacteria, including those that are resistant to the antibiotics meticillin and vancomycin. [11] In another study, two diterpenes were found to be responsible for the antimicrobial activity of this species. [10]

Use in horticulture

The species is seldom seen in cultivation. As it is difficult to propagate from both seed and cuttings, grafting on to rootsock of Myoporum species is often undertaken to produce new plants. It is slow growing and prefers a dry, well-drained sunny position. It can withstand light frosts and is very drought tolerant. [6] [12]

Related Research Articles

<i>Eremophila subteretifolia</i> species of plant

Eremophila subteretifolia, commonly known as Lake King eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a creeping, prostrate shrub with narrow, sticky, dark green leaves and distinctive orange-red to yellow flowers. It is a rare plant which grows near the edges of salt lakes.

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 falcata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a widely distributed shrub with distinctive curved leaves and white, lilac-coloured or pink flowers.

<i>Eremophila flabellata</i> species of plant

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.

<i>Eremophila galeata</i> species of plant

Eremophila galeata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with sticky, shiny leaves, unusual sepals, a dull pink and brown, spotted petal tube and which grows in stony red soils.

<i>Eremophila goodwinii</i> species of 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 incisa</i> species of plant

Eremophila incisa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low shrub with shiny leaves which have thickened teeth along their edges and hairy, mauve or purple flowers.

<i>Eremophila lanceolata</i> species of plant

Eremophila lanceolata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with foliage which is shiny when young, angular branches and lilac to purple flowers and which grows in the north-west of Western Australia.

Eremophila micrantha, commonly known as small-flowered poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a rounded shrub with many thin, flexible branches, narrow leaves and small white flowers.

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

Eremophila neglecta is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub which branches from ground level and which has lance-shaped leaves and orange-red flowers. It occurs in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Eremophila papillata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, compact shrub with sticky, narrow leaves and mauve, blue or purple, rarely white flowers.

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.

Eremophila praecox is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a small, broom-like shrub with small leaves and purple and white flowers.

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.

<i>Eremophila spuria</i> species of plant

Eremophila spuria is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, open shrub with narrow leaves and blue, lilac, purple or white flowers and is a common and widespread species.

Eremophila succinea is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, broom-shaped shrub with sticky, narrow, hooked leaves, narrow, sticky sepals and hairy, pale purple or mauve petals.

<i>Eremophila veneta</i> species of plant

Eremophila veneta, commonly known as metallic-flowered eremophila is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, spreading, sticky shrub with dark green leaves and bluish-green petals.

Eremophila vernicosa, commonly known as resinous poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with its glabrous leaves and branches appearing varnished due to a thick covering of resin. It has small leaves and white to pale mauve flowers.

Eremophila viscimarginata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small, erect, prickly shrub with hairy stems, small leaves, greenish-pink sepals and mauve petals.

References

  1. 1 2 "Eremophila duttonii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 649–651. ISBN   9781877058165.
  3. 1 2 3 Brown, Andrew; Buirchell, Bevan (2011). A field guide to the eremophilas of Western Australia (1st ed.). Hamilton Hill, W.A.: Simon Nevill Publications. p. 91. ISBN   9780980348156.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Chinnock, Robert J. "Eremophila duttonii". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: Plantnet. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Eremophila duttonii". State Herbarium of Soputh Australia: eflora. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Eremophila duttonii". Australian Native Plants Society Australia. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  7. ↑ "Eremophila duttonii". APNI. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  8. ↑ "Eremophila duttonii". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  9. ↑ "Anthwerrke (Emily Gap) and Akapulye (Jessie Gap) Nature Park and surrounding areas". Central Land Council (Northern Territory Australia). Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
  10. 1 2 Smith, Joshua E.; Tucker, David; Watson, Kenneth; Jones, Graham Lloyd (June 2007). "Identification of antibacterial constituents from the indigenous Australian medicinal plant Eremophila duttonii F. Muell. (Myoporaceae)". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 112 (2): 386–393. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2007.03.031. PMID   17485184.
  11. ↑ Williams, Cheryll J. (2013). Medicinal plants in Australia (Volume 4). Kenthurst, N.S.W.: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 321. ISBN   9781922013507.
  12. ↑ Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. pp. 39–40. ISBN   9781876473655.
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