Eremophila parvifolia | |
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E. parvifolia subsp. auricampa leaves and flowers | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
Genus: | Eremophila |
Species: | E. parvifolia |
Binomial name | |
Eremophila parvifolia | |
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 parvifolia is a spreading shrub which, depending on subspecies, is either a low shrub with spiny branch tips growing to a height of 50 to 70 cm (20 to 30 in) or a tall shrub, lacking spines and growing to 0.5 to 1.2 m (2 to 4 ft). Its young branches and leaves are slightly sticky due to the presence of resin. The leaves are arranged alternately along the branches and are thick, egg-shaped to almost round, mostly 1–5 mm (0.04–0.2 in) long, 0.7–1.5 mm (0.03–0.06 in) wide and are often tinged purple. [2] [3] [4]
The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a straight, mostly glabrous stalk 1–2.2 mm (0.04–0.09 in) long. There are 5 overlapping, green or blackish-purple, egg-shaped, tapering sepals which are 1.5–3.3 mm (0.06–0.1 in) long. 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 the open to purple on the outside and white with purple spots inside the tube. The petal tube is glabrous apart from the inside of the tube and the lower petal lobe which have long, soft hairs. The 4 stamens extend beyond the petal tube. Flowering time depends on subspecies. The fruits are woody, cone-shaped to almost spherical and 2.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. [2] [3] [4]
The species was first formally described by John McConnell Black in 1928 and the description was published in Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia . [1] The specific epithet (parvifolia) is derived from the Latin words parvus meaning "small" [5] :590 and folium meaning "leaf", [5] :466 referring to the small leaves of this species. [2]
There are two subspecies
Subspecies parvifolia occurs east from Balladonia in Western Australia to Fowlers Bay in South Australia. It grows in calcareous loam in woodland or shrubland. Subspecies auricampa is common from near Norseman and Kalgoorlie to Balladonia growing in sand, loam or clay on sandplains, hillsides and the edges of salt lakes. [2] [3]
This species is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife, [8] although the subspecies parvifolia is classified as "Priority Four" [9] meaning that is rare or near threatened in Western Australia. [10]
This small shrub is suitable for planting between larger plants and is very reliable, hardy and long-lived in the garden, some examples having been in cultivation for over 25 years. It can be propagated from seed or cuttings or by grafting onto Myoporum rootstock and will grow in a range of soils, including clay. It prefers a sunny position but is very drought and frost tolerant. [11]
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 latrobei, commonly known as crimson turkey bush, native fuchsia, Latrobe's emu bush, grey fuchsia bush, warty fuchsia bush and Georgina poison bush is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is an erect, highly branched shrub with usually linear leaves and red to purple-red flowers and which occurs in all mainland states, including the Northern Territory but excluding Victoria.
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 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 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 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.
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 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.
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 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 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.
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 rostrata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with cylinder-shaped leaves, small sepals and glabrous, pink to deep red petals. There are two subspecies, both of which are critically endangered.
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.
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 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 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 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.