Eremophila flabellata

Last updated

Eremophila flabellata
Eremophila flabellata (leaves and flowers).jpg
Eremophila flabellata leaves and flowers
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. flabellata
Binomial name
Eremophila flabellata

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.

Contents

Description

Eremophila flabellata is a shrub, usually growing to less than 0.5 m (2 ft) tall with branches and leaves which are sticky and shiny due to resin and densely covered with simple hairs. The leaves are arranged alternately, mostly 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long, 5.5–8.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide, egg-shaped to almost circular and with serrated edges. [2] [3]

The flowers are borne singly on a hairy stalk which is 20–40 mm (0.8–2 in) long. There are 5 overlapping hairy, green to purple sepals which are mostly 8–11.5 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long, egg-shaped to fan-shaped with distinctly serrated edges. The petals are 15–25 mm (0.6–1 in) long and joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petals are pink to mauve or purple on the outside and white inside the tube. The outer surface of the petal tube is hairy, but the inner surface of the petal lobes is glabrous while the inside of the tube is full of woolly hairs. The 4 stamens are fully enclosed in the petal tube. Flowering occurs from May to September and is followed by fruits which are dry, woody and hairy, a narrow oval shape to almost spherical, have a papery covering and are 7–8.5 mm (0.28–0.33 in) long. [2] [3]

E. flabellata growing near Meekatharra Eremophila flabellata (habit).jpg
E. flabellata growing near Meekatharra
E. flabellata floral tube Eremophila flabellata (flower detail).jpg
E. flabellata floral tube

Taxonomy and naming

Eremophila flabellata 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 1986, about 15 km (9 mi) south-west of Wiluna. The specific epithet is from the Latin flabellata, 'fan-shaped', referring to the shape of the sepals of this species. [2] [3] [4]

Distribution and habitat

This eremophila often occurs in mulga woodland, growing in red-brown clay loam in the Meekatharra and Wiluna districts of the Murchison biogeographic region. [2] [5] [6]

Conservation status

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

Use in horticulture

This eremophila has not often been grown in gardens but has interesting, serrated leaves and colourful flowers. It is difficult to propagate from seed or from cuttings and is one of the few of its genus that will not graft onto Myoporum rootstock. It prefers well-drained soil in a sunny location and tolerates light frosts. [7]

Related Research Articles

Eremophila congesta is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area in central areas of Western Australia. It is a grey-coloured shrub with crowded, hairy leaves and lilac-coloured flowers which are white inside.

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.

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

Eremophila decussata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is only known from several small, disjunct areas in Western Australia and South Australia. It is small, spreading, silvery-grey shrub with soft leaves and lilac-coloured flowers with spots or streaks of purple inside the flower.

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

Eremophila demissa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area of central Western Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with small, yellowish grey leaves and branches and mauve to blue flowers.

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

Eremophila enata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to central areas of Western Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with serrated leaves and purplish to pinkish flowers.

<i>Eremophila incisa</i> Species of flowering 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.

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 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 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 pendulina is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a tall, spindly, weeping shrub with narrow leaves and purple, mauve or white flowers in autumn and early spring.

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.

<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 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 revoluta is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, dense shrub with small, hairy leaves, very hairy sepals and mauve or purple petals.

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

Eremophila rhegos is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with densely hairy leaves and branches and blue, mauve, purple or 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.

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 spinescens</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila spinescens is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, spreading, rigid, spiny shrub with small leaves and lilac to dark purple flowers.

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 warnesii</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila warnesii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, compact shrub with furry leaves, hairy sepals and blue to mauve petals. It is a little-known species, named after the founder of the Eremophila Study Group.

References

  1. "Eremophila flabellata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 375–376. 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. 100. ISBN   9780980348156.
  4. "Eremophila flabellata". APNI. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Eremophila flabellata". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  6. Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue . Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 335. ISBN   0646402439.
  7. Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. p. 200. ISBN   9781876473655.