| Eremophila physocalyx | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
| Genus: | Eremophila |
| Species: | E. physocalyx |
| Binomial name | |
| Eremophila physocalyx | |
Eremophila physocalyx is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with soft, grey-green leaves and cream-coloured flowers with unusual inflated sepals.
Eremophila physocalyx is an erect shrub which grows to a height of between 1 and 3 m (3 and 10 ft) with rough branches due to the presence of raised leaf bases. Its leaves are linear to lance-shaped, 13–32 mm (0.5–1 in) long, 1.5–4 mm (0.06–0.2 in) wide and grey-green in colour due to a covering of soft, branched hairs. There is a raised mid-vein on the lower surface. [2] [3]
The flowers are borne singly or in groups of three in leaf axils on hairy stalks 4–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long. There are 5 green to reddish-brown, somewhat inflated sepals, which are 10.5–18 mm (0.4–0.7 in) but which enlarge after flowering. They are glabrous on the outer surface but there are branched hairs on the margins and near the ends of the inner surface. The petals are 18–25 mm (0.7–1 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petal tube is cream-coloured, faintly tinged lilac and mostly glabrous except that the inside of the tube is filled with long, soft hairs. The 4 stamens are fully enclosed in the petal tube. Flowering occurs from May to August and is followed by fruits which are oval-shaped with a pointed end and about 6.5 mm (0.3 in) long. [2] [3]
This 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 (physocalyx) is derived from the Ancient Greek φῦσα (phûsa) meaning "bellows" [5] :605 and κάλυξ (kálux) meaning "cup" or "outer envelope of a flower", [5] :181 referring to the expanded sepals of this species. [2]
Eremophila physocalyx grows in sandy soil between Mullewa and Woodleigh Station [3] in the Carnarvon, Murchison and Yalgoo biogeographic regions. [6]
This eremophila is classified as "Priority Three" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [6] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat. [7]
This eremophila has not often been grown in gardens but its large, brown sepals are unusual and the plant has horticultural potential. It is usually propagated by grafting onto Myoporum rootstock and grows best in well-drained soil in a sunny position. It rarely needs watering, even during a long drought and is tolerant of frost but need to be pruned from an early age to keep its shape compact. [8]
Eremophila nivea, commonly known as silky eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. In nature it is a rare shrub with hairy branches and leaves, and blue, purple or violet flowers.
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 eversa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of Western Australia. It is known from only one plant, now thought to have died. It is a small shrub with small leaves and hairy purple to lilac-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 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 malacoides, commonly known as frontage poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with grey-green foliage, densely hairy leaves, and usually lilac to purple flowers but a yellow flowered form also occurs.
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.
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 pungens is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is an erect, sticky shrub with broad, serrated-edged leaves which end in a sharp spine and purple or violet 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 reticulata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a dense shrub with egg-shaped leaves, colourful sepals and white or pink 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 rhegos is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with densely hairy leaves and branches and blue, mauve, purple or white flowers.
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 tenella is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, spindly shrub with pendulous branches and with its branches and leaves covered with a layer of fine, branched, yellow-grey hairs. Its buds are yellowish but open to white or pale lilac flowers.
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 viscimarginata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small, erect, prickly shrub with hairy stems, small leaves, greenish-pink sepals and mauve petals.
