Desert pride | |
---|---|
Eremophila mackinlayi subsp. spathulata leaves and flowers | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
Genus: | Eremophila |
Species: | E. mackinlayi |
Binomial name | |
Eremophila mackinlayi | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Eremophila mackinlayi, commonly known as desert pride, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with its branches and leaves covered with a thick layer of yellow to grey hairs, mostly egg-shaped leaves and deep lilac-coloured to purple flowers. It is most closely related to E. strongylophylla and E. hygrophana and sometimes occurs in the same areas as these species.
Eremophila mackinlayi is sometimes a spreading shrub, other times erect, growing to a height of 0.2–1 m (0.7–3 ft). Its leaves and branches are covered with a thick layer of yellow to grey branched hairs but lack the glandular hairs present on the foliage of E. strongylphylla and the simple hairs of E. hygrophana. The leaves have a stalk about 2–5 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long and a blade that is mostly 10–30 mm (0.4–1 in) long, 7–14 mm (0.3–0.6 in) wide, egg-shaped to lance-shaped, sometimes wavy, with an obvious mid-vein on the lower surface. [2] [3]
The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a hairy stalk which is up to 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long and, unlike those of E. hygrophana, are densely clustered near the ends of the branches. There are 5 hairy, narrow triangular to lance-shaped sepals which are 8.5–13.5 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long. 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 is deep lilac-coloured to purple on the outside, white without spots inside. The outside of the tube and petal lobes is covered with branched hairs, the inside of the lobes is glabrous and the inside of the tube is densely woolly. The 4 stamens are fully enclosed in the petal tube. Flowering occurs from May to October and the fruits which follow are oval or bottle-shaped, with a dense covering of woolly hairs and are 7.5–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long. [2] [3]
Eremophila mackinlayi was first formally described in 1864 by Victorian Government Botanist Ferdinand von Mueller in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae . [4] [5] The specific epithet (mackinlayi) honours the explorer John McKinlay. [2]
Two subspecies are currently recognised:
Subspecies mackinlayi occurs in near-coastal areas between Shark Bay and Carnarvon in the Carnarvon and Murchison biogeographic regions. [8] [9] It grows in calcareous and sandy soils, often in mulga woodland. [2]
Subspecies spathulata occurs between Leonora, Wooleen and Mullewa in the Carnarvon, Murchison and Yalgoo biogeographic regions. [9] [10] It usually grows in red-brown loam near drainage channels in mulga woodland. [2]
Both subspecies are classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [11]
The felt-like leaves of this eremophila as well as its massed display of blue flowers on the end of its branches are attractive features. It can be grown from cuttings but grafting is the preferred option if the plant is to be grown in southern Australia, to help reduce fungal infection causing dieback in winter. It grows best in well-drained soil when grown on its own roots, in full sun or partial shade and in an area with good air flow. It only needs occasional watering during long droughts and is moderately frost hardy. [12]
Eremophila youngii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a dense, erect shrub with many of its parts covered with a layer of grey to yellowish-grey scales and with pink, purple or red flowers.
Eremophila oldfieldii, commonly known as pixie bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with rough bark, broad, flat or narrow fleshy leaves and red, orange or yellow flowers.
Eremophila bowmanii, also known as silver turkeybush, Bowman's poverty bush and flannel bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. It is a low to medium, spreading shrub with silvery-grey, hairy foliage and blue to lilac flowers, and sometimes grows in dense thickets with mulga.
Eremophila eriocalyx, commonly known as desert pride, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with greyish leaves, very hairy sepals and petals that range in colour from white to yellow, sometimes pink or purple.
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.
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.
Eremophila strongylophylla is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small shrub with distinctive round leaves, yellowish new growth and purple flowers which are white inside. It is similar to Eremophila mackinlayi and Eremophila hygrophana but distinguished from them by characteristics including leaf shape, and the type of hairs on its leaves and branches.
Eremophila hughesii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is spindly, glabrous shrub with narrow leaves and with flowers that vary in colour from blue to pink, sometimes white. It is endemic to Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Eremophila caerulea, commonly known as spotted eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low, compact, spreading shrub with narrow, warty, cylindrical leaves and blue to purple flowers.
Eremophila densifolia is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is usually a low, spreading shrub with densely clustered leaves and lilac to purple 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.
Eremophila exilifolia is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae, and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a widely distributed shrub which is shaped like an inverted cone and has small, very sticky leaves and branches and lilac-coloured flowers.
Eremophila forrestii, commonly known as Wilcox bush is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a many-branched shrub with its branches, leaves and sepals densely-covered with a thick layer of greyish or yellowish hairs giving the plant a felty appearance. Its flowers are cream-coloured to pink and are spotted or streaked dark red. It occurs mostly in Western Australia but also in the far west of South Australia and the Northern Territory. Six subspecies are recognised by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
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.
Eremophila interstans is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub or small tree found in Western Australia and South Australia and has narrow leaves with a hooked end, and white or cream-coloured 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 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.
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 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.
Eremophila willsii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is an erect shrub with bright green, often serrated leaves and pinkish to deep pinkish-purple petals. It is mainly found in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia in deep sand.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)