Eremophila phillipsii

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Eremophila phillipsii
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. phillipsii
Binomial name
Eremophila phillipsii
Synonyms [1]

Eremophila phillipsii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a tall, erect, open shrub, with narrow leaves and lilac to purple flowers which are white with purple spots inside. It often has an offensive smell.

Contents

Description

Eremophila phillipsii is an erect, often wispy shrub which grows to a height of 0.5–3.5 m (2–10 ft) and often has a strong, offensive odour. Its branches are often weeping and are glabrous, covered with small raised glands, sticky and often shiny. Its leaves are arranged alternately along the branches and are linear to elliptic in shape, 20–55 mm (0.8–2 in) long and 0.8–2.5 mm (0.03–0.1 in) wide, glabrous and sticky. [2] [3]

The flowers are usually borne singly or in groups of up to 3 in leaf axils on a hairy stalk, 6–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) long. There are 5 slightly overlapping, hairy, green, lance-shaped sepals which are 3–5.5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. The petals are 9–16 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petal tube is lilac-coloured or purple on the outside, and white with purple spots on the inside. The outer surface of the petal tube and lobes is covered with glandular hairs, the inside of the lobes is glabrous and the inside of the tube is woolly. The 4 stamens are fully enclosed in the petal tube. Flowering occurs from September to December and the fruits which follow are oval-shaped, glabrous and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

The species was first formally described by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1893 and the description was published in Victorian Naturalist . [4] [5] The specific epithet (phillipsii) honours George Braithwaite Phillips. [2] [3] [5]

Distribution and habitat

Eremophila phillipsii is found in rocky places, including at the base of granite outcrops, between Hyden and the Fitzgerald River in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions. [6]

Conservation

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

Use in horticulture

This large shrub is very attractive in flower but it can give off a strong odour, so should be planted where this will not be a problem. It can be propagated from cuttings taken at any time of the year and grown in a wide range of soils, including heavy clay. It does best in full sun and is tolerant of both frost and long droughts but needs to be pruned from an early age to keep its shape compact. [7]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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

Eremophila exilifolia is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a widely distributed shrub which is shaped like an inverted cone and has small, very sticky leaves and branches and lilac-coloured flowers.

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

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

Eremophila gilesii, commonly known Charleville turkey bush, green turkey bush, desert fuchsia and Giles emu bush is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is usually a low, spreading shrub with pinkish-lilac to purple flowers and is widespread in the Northern Territory and all mainland states except Victoria. It is considered a difficult agricultural weed in some parts of Queensland but is often used as a bush medicine by Aboriginal people.

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

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<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 paisleyi</i> Species of plant

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.

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

Eremophila polyclada, commonly known as twiggy emu-bush, flowering lignum, lignum fuchsia and desert lignum is a plant in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a dense, spreading shrub with narrow leaves and white to pale lilac-coloured, purple-spotted flowers. It occurs in all mainland states except Western Australia.

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

Eremophila psilocalyx is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with a broom-like shape, narrow, hooked leaves and white, pink, blue or purple flowers. It is common in the mallee country around Esperance. It was sometimes incorrectly known as Eremophila pachyphylla.

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

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.

<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. 1 2 "Eremophila phillipsii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 268–270. 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. 209. ISBN   9780980348156.
  4. "Eremophila phillipsii". APNI. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  5. 1 2 von Mueller, Ferdinand (1892). "Descriptions of new Australian plants, with occsional other annotations". Victorian Naturalist. 9 (5): 76. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Eremophila phillipsii". 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. 55. ISBN   9781876473655.