Eremophila micrantha

Last updated

Eremophila micrantha
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. micrantha
Binomial name
Eremophila micrantha

Eremophila micrantha, commonly known as small-flowered poverty bush, [2] 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.

Contents

Description

Eremophila micrantha is an erect shrub, usually growing to a height of 1–3 m (3–10 ft), with a rounded top and many thin, flexible branches which are covered with glands. The branches are glabrous, yellowish when young and become red-brown as they age. The leaves are arranged alternately along the branches and are linear in shape, taper towards the end, have a rough surface and are mostly 18–25 mm (0.7–1 in) long and 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. They are also yellow-green in colour, covered with small raised lumps and are sticky due to the presence of resin. [3] [2]

The flowers are usually borne singly or in groups of up to 3 in leaf axils on rough, sticky, straight stalks, 2–3.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long. There are 5 yellowish-green, lance-shaped, sticky sepals which are mostly 1.6–3 mm (0.06–0.1 in) long. The petals are 5–6.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. In bud, the flowers are pinkish but open to white, spotted red on the lower middle petal lobe and spotted yellow inside the tube. The outside surface of the tube is densely hairy while the inside is glabrous. The 4 stamens are fully enclosed in the petal tube. Flowering occurs from September to October and the fruits which follow are oval-shaped with a pointed end, 2.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and densely covered with stiff, long hairs. [3] [2]

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 (micrantha) is derived from the Ancient Greek μικρός (mikrós) meaning "small" or "little", [5] :522 and ἄνθος (ánthos) meaning "flower", [5] :94 in reference to the small flowers of this species. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Eremophila micrantha occurs between Meekatharra and Newman [2] in the Gascoyne and Murchison biogeographic regions. [6] It grows in shallow stony soil and near the margins of salt pans, often in mulga shrubland. [3]

Conservation status

This species is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [6]

Use in horticulture

Older specimens of this eremophila have very dark trunks, complementing the dark green foliage and tiny white flowers. The small, persistent, white hairy fruits are an added attraction. It can be propagated from seed or with difficulty, by grafting and grows best in a sunny location in well-drained soil. It only needs an occasional watering in long summer droughts and is very tolerant of frosts. [7]

Related Research Articles

Eremophila clavata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low, dense, spreading shrub with narrow grey, club-shaped leaves and pink to purple, sometimes blue flowers.

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

Eremophila compressa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub whose leaves have 2 or 3 prominent teeth near their ends, and white or cream-coloured flowers.

Eremophila dendritica is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south of Australia. It is a low, shrub with many tangled branches. Its branches, leaves and flowers are densely covered with hairs giving them a felty texture.

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 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.

<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 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 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 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 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.

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

Eremophila parvifolia is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub which has small, usually egg-shaped leaves and blackish flower buds which open to purple flowers which are white with purple spots inside. There are two subspecies, both of which are found in Western Australia and one which is also found in South Australia.

<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 praecox is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a small, broom-like shrub with small leaves and purple and white flowers.

Eremophila prolata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with a rounded top, prominently ridged, hairy branches, narrow leaves and white to deep lilac-coloured flowers.

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

Eremophila rigens is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with long, stiff, glabrous leaves and pale lilac-coloured to white flowers.

Eremophila setacea is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrow, glabrous leaves, hairy sepals and light blue to purple petals.

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 spongiocarpa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a compact shrub with many tangled branches, flattened, succulent leaves, hairy sepals and creamy white petals which are spotted red on the inside.

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.

References

  1. ↑ "Eremophila micrantha". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  2. 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. 184. ISBN   9780980348156.
  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. 202–204. ISBN   9781877058165.
  4. ↑ "Eremophila micrantha". APNI. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  5. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  6. 1 2 "Eremophila micrantha". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  7. ↑ Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. p. 132. ISBN   9781876473655.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.