Eremophila fallax

Eremophila fallax
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Scrophulariaceae
Genus:	Eremophila
Species:	E. fallax
Binomial name
	Eremophila fallax; Chinnock [1]

Last updated March 27, 2020

Eremophila fallax is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a densely-foliaged shrub with leaves which have a hooked tip and with blue to violet flowers. It occurs in South Australia and Western Australia. Without flowers, this species closely resembles Eremophila deserti but that species has 5 stamens and its fruits are a different shape.

Description

Eremophila fallax is an erect, densely-foliaged, glabrous shrub which usually grows to a height of between 1 and 2 m (3 and 7 ft). Its leaves are thick, mostly 30–60 mm (1–2 in) long, 3–6 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide, narrow elliptic to lance-shaped with a rough surface and a pointed, hooked tip.^[2]^[3]

The flowers are borne singly on a sticky stalk 7–13.5 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long. There are 5 overlapping green sepals which are lance-shaped to egg-shaped often with a tapering end and 2–8 mm (0.08–0.3 in) long. The sepals often have a lumpy surface and toothed edges. The petals are 7–14 mm (0.3–0.6 in) long and joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petals are cream-coloured, sometimes stained reddish purple on the top of the petal tube. The petal tube is glabrous but often lumpy on the outside and the inner edge of some of the petal lobes are covered with long hairs. The 4 stamens are fully enclosed in the petal tube. Flowering occurs from September to October and is followed by fruits which are a narrow oval shaped to almost spherical, have a papery covering and are 7–8.5 mm (0.3–0.3 in) long.^[2]^[3]

Taxonomy and naming

The species was first formally described by Robert Chinnock in 2007 and the description was published in Eremophila and Allied Genera: A Monograph of the Plant Family Myoporaceae. The type specimen was collected by Chinnock in 1979, about 43 km (30 mi) west of Neale Junction.^[1]^[2]^[3] The specific epithet (fallax) is a Latin word meaning "deceitful" or "false"^[4] referring to the similarity of this species to Eremophila deserti .^[2]

Distribution and habitat

Eremophila fallax occurs in Eucalyptus woodland from the Serpentine Lake Road, south to the Trans-Australian Railway in Western Australia^[3] and east to areas near the Flinders Ranges in South Australia.^[2]

Conservation

Eremophila fallax is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.^[5]

Use in horticulture

Although the flowers of this eremophila are relatively small, their light colour contrasts with its dark green leaves making it suitable for planting between shrubs with lighter-coloured foliage. It can be propagated from cuttings or by grafting onto Myoporum and will grow in most soils, including heavy clay. It is also very drought tolerant and survives all but the most severe frosts.^[6]

Related Research Articles

Eremophila deserti is a shrub which is endemic to Australia. Common names for this species include turkey bush, dogwood, poison bushEllangowan poison bush, pencil bush and carrot bush. It is common and widespread in all mainland states, although not the Northern Territory. Some forms are poisonous to stock.

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 cryptothrix is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is a shrub with sticky stems due to the presence of resin, narrow leaves, coloured sepals and white, pale pink or pale blue flowers.

Eremophila cuneata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the Shark Bay area of Western Australia. It is a rarely-seen, small shrub with wedge-shaped leaves and white to cream-coloured flowers.

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.

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 glandulifera is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small shrub with hairy, grey foliage and attractive deep pink to red flowers usually growing in mulga woodland.

Eremophila humilis is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, rounded shrub with club-shaped leaves and white bell-shaped flowers and which is only found in a restricted area near Meekatharra.

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 malacoides, commonly known as frontage poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with grey-green foliage, densely hairy leaves, and usually lilac to purple flowers but a yellow flowered form also occurs.

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.

Eremophila oblonga is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small, domed-shaped shrub with small, fleshy leaves and purple or mauve flowers growing near Balladonia.

Eremophila perglandulosa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub which has small leaves with many glandular hairs and mauve or purple flowers.

Eremophila recurva is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub with hairy grey leaves, large grey sepals and blue, mauve or lilac 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 sargentii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with sticky, shiny foliage, small leaves and mauve or blue 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.

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.

Eremophila verrucosa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is an erect, broom-shaped shrub with its leaves and branches covered with yellow-grey scales and lilac to purple flowers.

References

1 2 "Eremophila fallax". APNI. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
1 2 3 4 5 Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 195–196. ISBN 9781877058165.
1 2 3 4 Brown, Andrew; Buirchell, Bevan (2011). A field guide to the eremophilas of Western Australia (1st ed.). Hamilton Hill, W.A.: Simon Nevill Publications. p. 98. ISBN 9780980348156.
↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 315.
↑ "Eremophila fallax". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
↑ Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. p. 94. ISBN 9781876473655.

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[APNI-1] 1 2 "Eremophila fallax". APNI. Retrieved 13 January 2016.

[Chinnock-2] 1 2 3 4 5 Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 195–196. ISBN 9781877058165.

[Brown-3] 1 2 3 4 Brown, Andrew; Buirchell, Bevan (2011). A field guide to the eremophilas of Western Australia (1st ed.). Hamilton Hill, W.A.: Simon Nevill Publications. p. 98. ISBN 9780980348156.

[RWB-4] Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 315.

[FloraBase-5] "Eremophila fallax". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.

[Boschen-6] Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. p. 94. ISBN 9781876473655.