| Eremophila oblonga | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
| Genus: | Eremophila |
| Species: | E. oblonga |
| Binomial name | |
| Eremophila oblonga | |
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 oblonga is a small, domed, spreading shrub with many tangled branches which grows to a height of between 15 and 25 cm (6 and 10 in) and a width of 30 to 80 cm (10 to 30 in). Its branches are glabrous, greenish-blue or purple and have large, raised, amber-coloured lumps. The leaves are densely clustered near the ends of the branches, thick and fleshy, 1.3–3.5 mm (0.05–0.1 in) long, 0.6–1.7 mm (0.02–0.07 in) wide and oval, egg-shaped or club-shaped. They are also almost circular or triangular in cross-section. [2] [3]
The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a straight, glabrous stalk 1–2.2 mm (0.04–0.09 in) long. There are 5 overlapping, egg-shaped, tapering, green or blackish-purple sepals which are 1.5–3.3 mm (0.06–0.1 in) long, glabrous on the outer surface and hairy on the edges and inner surface. The petals are 6.5–10.5 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. The flower buds are blackish-brown but open to reveal purple or mauve petals with the inside of the tube white with purple spots. The outer surface of the petal tube and both surfaces of the lobes are glabrous, but the inside of the tube and part of the lowest lobe are hairy. The 4 stamens are enclosed in the petal tube or equal in length to it. Flowering occurs from May to November and the fruits which follow are woody, oval to cone-shaped, blackish-brown and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. [2] [3]
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 (oblonga) is a Latin word meaning "longer than broad" [5] referring to the leaves being longer than broad and with almost parallel sides. [2]
Eremophila oblonga occurs between Balladonia and Fraser Range [3] in the Coolgardie and Mallee biogeographic regions [6] growing in woodland in clay-loam over limestone. [3]
This species is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [6]
This small low, rounded shrub has attractive foliage as well as massed flower displays in spring. It can be propagated from cuttings in warmer months and grows best in well-drained soil in a sunny or partly shaded position. It is drought tolerant, only needing an occasional watering during a long drought, is tolerant of frost and responds well to a light annual pruning. [7]
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Eremophila pustulata, commonly known as blistered eremophila is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with fleshy, warty leaves and purple, lilac, violet or white flowers.
Eremophila recurva is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub with hairy grey leaves, large grey sepals and blue, mauve or lilac 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.
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.
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 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.
Eremophila ternifolia, commonly known as Wongan eremophila is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, many-branched, shrub with short, pointed leaves and small lilac-coloured or mauve flowers.
Eremophila tietkensii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a rounded to flat-topped shrub with grey-green leaves, usually pinkish-purple sepals and mauve, pink or lilac-coloured petals. It is mostly found in Western Australia but also occurs in the far west of the Northern Territory.
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 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.