Eremophila magnifica

Last updated

Eremophila magnifica
Eremophila magnifica flowers.jpg
Flowers in the ANBG
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. magnifica
Binomial name
Eremophila magnifica

Eremophila magnifica is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with large, clustered leaves and large, attractive lilac-coloured or purple flowers, sometimes so densely clustered that they appear like compound heads of terminal flowers.

Contents

Description

Eremophila magnifica is an erect shrub which grows to a height of 0.5–1.5 m (20–60 in). Its leaves, which smell strongly of nutmeg when crushed, are densely clustered near the ends of the branches, bluish-green, lance-shaped, mostly 29–63 mm (1–2 in) long and 6–15 mm (0.2–0.6 in) wide. The edges of the leaves are hairy. [2] [3]

The flowers are borne in groups of 2 to 4 in, clustered near the ends of the branches in leaf axils on hairy stalks which are 10–27 mm (0.4–1 in) long. There are 5 green to dull purple, hairy, linear to triangular sepals which are mostly 11–22 mm (0.4–0.9 in) long. The petals are 17–22 mm (0.7–0.9 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petal tube is lilac-coloured on the outside and deep lilac on the inside of the petal lobes. There are translucent spots on the petal tube and lobes, the outer surface is hairy, the inner surface of the lobes is glabrous and the inside of the tube is filled with long, soft hairs. The 4 stamens are fully enclosed in the petal tube. Flowering occurs from August to November and the fruits which follow are dry, oval-shaped and 6.5–7.5 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. [4] The specific epithet (magnifica) is a Latin word meaning "noble", "eminent" or "splendid", [5] in reference to the large, attractive flowers. [3]

In the same book, Chinnock described two subspecies and the names are accepted at the Australian Plant Census:

Distribution and habitat

Subspecies magnifica occurs on the tops and slopes of the Hamersley Range [2] in the Pilbara biogeographic region [8] [9] where it grows on rocky slopes and hilltops; subspecies velutina occurs between Marandoo and Newman in the Gascoyne and Pilbara biogeographic regions [10] [9] where it grows on slopes and ephemeral creeks in loamy soils. [2]

Conservation status

Eremophila magnifica is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [11] but subspecies magnifica is classified as "Priority Four" [8] meaning that is rare or near threatened [12] and subspecies velutina is classified as "Priority Three" [10] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat. [12]

Use in horticulture

The highly-scented leaves and large, well-displayed flowers are attractive features of this eremophila. It can be propagated by grafting onto Myoporum rootstock and grown in well-drained soil in full sun. It is drought tolerant but very sensitive to frost and should be only lightly pruned. [13]

Related Research Articles

<i>Eremophila youngii</i> Species of tree

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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 native to Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Eremophila arachnoides is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a few arid areas of Western Australia and South Australia. It is a little-known, broom-shaped shrub with white to mauve, trumpet-shaped flowers which are densely hairy on the inside.

Eremophila compacta, commonly known as compact poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the central west of Western Australia. There are two distinct subspecies differing in their growth habit but both have grey leaves due to a covering of white or grey hairs, and purple to blue, rarely white flowers.

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

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.

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

Eremophila flaccida is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with sticky, shiny foliage and large, attractive flowers. There are two subspecies, one common and relatively widespread, the other known from only a few locations.

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

Eremophila jucunda is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small to medium-sized shrub with hairy branches and leaves, lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves and cream-coloured, lilac or purple 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 obovata</i> Species of plant

Eremophila obovata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a low, compact shrub with lilac to purple flowers growing mainly in the Northern Territory and Queensland but also Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales.

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 phyllopoda</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila phyllopoda is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub, sometimes round or flat-topped with sticky, hairy leaves and flowers ranging in colour from pink or lilac to purple.

Eremophila pilosa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small shrub with many tangled branches, with its leaves and branches densely covered with hairs and which has mauve or purple flowers. It occurs in a restricted area in the Pilbara.

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

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 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 spectabilis</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila spectabilis, commonly known as showy poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a dense, erect shrub with narrow, greyish leaves and blue, mauve or purple flowers.

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.

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

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.

References

  1. "Eremophila magnifica". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  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. 395–398. 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. 179. ISBN   9780980348156.
  4. "Eremophila magnifica". APNI. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 504.
  6. "Eremophila magnifica subsp. magnifica". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  7. "Eremophila magnifica subsp. velutina". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Eremophila magnifica subsp. magnifica". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  9. 1 2 Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora: a descriptive catalogue . Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 338. ISBN   0646402439.
  10. 1 2 "Eremophila magnifica subsp. velutina". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  11. "Eremophila magnifica". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  12. 1 2 "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  13. Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. pp. 130–131. ISBN   9781876473655.