Eremophila lucida

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Eremophila lucida
Status DECF P1.svg
Priority One — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. lucida
Binomial name
Eremophila lucida

Eremophila lucida, commonly known as shining poverty bush, [2] is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with sticky, shiny leaves and branches and with flowers that are either red with darker red blotches inside or cream-coloured without spots or blotches.

Contents

Description

Eremophila lucida is a glabrous shrub with sticky, shiny leaves and branches due to the presence of large amounts of resin. It grows to a height of between 0.5 and 3.5 m (2 and 10 ft) and its branches have raised ribs under each side of the leaf attachments. The leaves are arranged alternately along the branches and there is a large, raised lump where the leaf attaches to the branch. The leaves are mostly 54–85 mm (2–3 in) long, 7–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) wide, linear to elliptic in shape and covered with small raised resin glands. [2] [3] [4]

The flowers are usually borne singly in leaf axils on a flattened, glabrous stalk which is usually 13–25 mm (0.5–1 in) long. There are 5 sticky, overlapping, glabrous sepals which are mostly 8.5–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) long and which are either pale yellow, greenish yellow, or red with a bluish tinge. The petals are 25–35 mm (0.98–1.4 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petal tube may be yellow without spots, or deep red with prominent darker blotches in the tube and on the lowest petal lobe. The outer surface of the petal tube is glabrous but the inner surface is covered with glandular hairs. The 4 stamens extend beyond the end of the petal tube. Flowering occurs between August and October and the fruits which follow are almost spherical in shape, slightly compressed, have a papery covering and are 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Eremophila lucida 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. [5] The specific epithet (lucida) is a Latin word meaning "clear" or "bright" [6] in reference to the leaves of this species. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Shining poverty bush is only known from two small areas between Hyden and Norseman [4] in the Coolgardie biogeographic region [7] - one near Lake Cronin, the other near Lake Cowan. It grows in sandy soil near salty depressions. [3]

Conservation status

This species is classified as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife, [7] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk. [7] [8]

Use in horticulture

The bright green leaves of this large shrub contrast with its pink or white flowers making it an attractive garden plant. It is fast-growing, although sometimes short-lived, and hardy, requiring minimal watering during long droughts and is frost hardy. It can be propagated from cuttings and grown in well-drained soil in a sunny or partly shaded position. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Eremophila subteretifolia</i> Species of flowering 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 aureivisca, also known as Rason poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south-east of Western Australia. It is a shrub with narrow, sticky, shiny leaves and pale purple flowers, known only from the edge of Lake Rason but may be more widely distributed in this remote area.

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 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.

<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.

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

Eremophila labrosa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with many hairy branches arising from near ground level, narrow, hooked leaves and mauve and blue flowers.

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

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

Eremophila linearis, commonly known as harlequin fuchsia bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with long leaves, sticky, shiny leaves and branches and bright red flowers

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 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 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 purpurascens</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila purpurascens, commonly known as purple eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, bushy shrub with warty leaves and spotted, pink to red flowers.

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

Eremophila rugosa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with sticky, shiny leaves and pink, purple or mauve flowers.

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

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 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 flowering 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. ↑ "Eremophila lucida". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Archer, William. "Eremophila lucida". Esperance Wildflowers. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  3. 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. 642–644. ISBN   9781877058165.
  4. 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. 171. ISBN   9780980348156.
  5. ↑ "Eremophila lucida". APNI. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  6. ↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 209.
  7. 1 2 3 "Eremophila lucida". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  8. ↑ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  9. ↑ Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. pp. 46–47. ISBN   9781876473655.
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