| Eremophila ovata | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
| Genus: | Eremophila |
| Species: | E. ovata |
| Binomial name | |
| Eremophila ovata | |
Eremophila ovata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the Northern Territory. It is a small, spreading, rounded shrub with hairy branches and leaves and pink or purple flowers which are white inside.
Eremophila ovata is a rounded shrub which grows to a height of 0.25–1.0 m (10–40 in) and a width of about 1 m (40 in). Its branches are densely covered with simple, branched and white or yellow glandular hairs. The leaves are arranged alternately along the branches and are mostly 10–25 mm (0.4–1 in) long, 9–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide, not including the leaf stalk which is a further 3.5–7 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long. The leaves are elliptic to egg-shaped, sometimes almost circular and covered with hairs, more densely on the lower surface. Sometimes both surfaces eventually become glabrous. [2] [3]
The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a stalk less than 2 mm (0.08 in) long. There are 5 green, hairy, lance-shaped or triangular sepals which are mostly 8.5–10.5 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long. The petals are 18–30 mm (0.7–1 in) long and joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petal tube is lilac-coloured or purple on the outside and white with lilac spots inside. The outside of the petal tube and the lobes are hairy but the inside surface of the lobes is glabrous and the inside of the tube is filled with woolly hairs. The 4 stamens are fully enclosed in the petal tube. Flowering occurs mainly from winter to spring and is followed by fruits which are oval-shaped, 4.5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and hairy. [2] [3]
The species was first formally described in 1979 by Robert Chinnock and the description was published in Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden. [4] [5] The specific epithet (ovata) is a Latin word meaning "egg-shaped", [6] referring to the shape of the leaves. [2]
Eremophila ovata only occurs in the George Gill and Gardiner Ranges in the Northern Territory where it grows in gravelly soils on slopes and in gullies. [2]
This species is classified as "of least concern" by the Northern Territory Government Department of Land Resource Management. [7]
This small eremophila is fast-growing but short-lived. [8] It flowers over a long period and is known to sucker. Propagation is easy from cuttings but grafting onto Myoporum rootstock will prevent the development of suckers. It grows best in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade and is very drought and frost tolerant but does not thrive in areas with high humidity. [3] [9]
Eremophila acrida is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to arid areas in the Northern Territory and Queensland in Australia. It is a small shrub with most of its above-ground parts covered with hairs which are tipped with a tiny yellow gland. It has a strong, bitter odour.
Eremophila cordatisepala is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to areas of Queensland and the Northern Territory in Australia. It is a small grey shrub with purple to lilac-coloured flowers which have heart-shaped sepals at their base.
Eremophila lanata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small shrub with small, hairy leaves, densely hairy sepals and lilac to pinkish flowers.
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.
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 paisleyi is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a rounded, broom-shaped shrub with white or lilac-coloured flowers which occurs in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.
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 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 prostrata, commonly known as Rainbow Valley fuchsia bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the Northern Territory. It is a prostrate shrub with glabrous branches and leaves and purple flowers. It occurs as a few scattered populations with a total area of less than 50 ha.
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 retropila is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, spreading shrub with hairy, greyish leaves crowded at the ends of the branches, and lilac or violet-coloured flowers which are white inside.
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 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 rotundifolia is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub with many tangled branches with its leaves and branches covered with a layer of silvery-grey hairs. Its flowers range in colour from pale to deep lilac. It is common in South Australia and there is also a single record from the Northern Territory.
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 spuria is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, open shrub with narrow leaves and blue, lilac, purple or white flowers and is a common and widespread species.
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 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.
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.
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.