Eremophila platycalyx

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Eremophila platycalyx
Eremophila platycalyx platycalyx (leaves and flowers).jpg
Eremophila platycalyx subsp. platycalyx (flowers with broad sepals)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. platycalyx
Binomial name
Eremophila platycalyx
Synonyms [1]

Eremophila platycalyx is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with its branches and leaves covered with a layer of matted hairs, although the hairs are sometimes obscured by resin. The shape of the leaves is variable, depending on subspecies, the sepals are often brightly coloured and the petals are cream-coloured, sometimes spotted on the outside. Two subspecies have been described but others have been discovered although not as yet formally described.

Contents

Description

Eremophila platycalyx is a shrub or small tree growing to a height of up to 4 m (10 ft). The branches and leaves are covered with simple hairs flattened against the surface but these are often obscured by sticky resin. The leaves are arranged alternately and are scattered along the branches, linear to lance-shaped or egg-shaped, mostly 17–70 mm (0.7–3 in) long, 2–14.5 mm (0.08–0.6 in) wide and covered with grey hairs pressed against the surface. [2] [3]

The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a hairy stalk 4–27 mm (0.2–1 in) long. There are 5 overlapping, pink or yellow, lance-shaped to almost circular sepals which are mostly 12–20 mm (0.5–0.8 in) long. The petals are 15–40 mm (0.6–2 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petal tube is cream-coloured, sometimes with a bluish-green tinge, sometimes with spots on the inside or outside. The petal tube is glabrous on the outside, the petal lobes are glabrous inside and out, but the tube is filled with long, soft hairs. The 4 stamens are about the same length as the petal tube. Flowering occurs between June and September and is followed by fruits which are dry, woody, oval-shaped tapering to a point and are 5.5–8.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long. [2] [3]

E. platycalyx subsp. platycalyx growing south of Karalundi Eremophila platycalyx platycalyx (habit).jpg
E. platycalyx subsp. platycalyx growing south of Karalundi
E. platycalyx subsp. pardalota (narrow sepals) Eremophila platycalyx pardalota (leaves and flowers).jpg
E. platycalyx subsp. pardalota (narrow sepals)
E. platycalyx subsp. pardalota growing near Newman Eremophila platycalyx pardalota (habit).jpg
E. platycalyx subsp. pardalota growing near Newman

Taxonomy and naming

The species was first formally described by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1866 and the description was published in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae . [4] [5] The specific epithet (platycalyx) is derived from the Ancient Greek πλατύς (platús) meaning “flat”, "broad" or "wide" [6] : 474  and κάλυξ (kálux) meaning "cup", "cover" or "outer envelope of a flower”, [6] : 181  referring to the broad sepals. [2]

There are as many as 10 subspecies of E. platycalyx but only two have been formally described to date:

Some other subspecies have been given the provisional names Milgun, [3] [9] Neds Creek, [3] [10] large leaves [3] [11] and small calyx. [3] [12]

This species is sometimes known as granite eremophila, but that name is also used for E. granitica . [2] [3]

Distribution and habitat

Subspecies platycalyx occurs in rocky places between Leonora and Shark Bay [3] in the Carnarvon, Gascoyne, Gibson Desert, Little Sandy Desert, Murchison, Pilbara and Yalgoo biogeographic regions; [13] subspecies pardalota grows in pebbly soil between Mt Augustus and Newman [3] in the Gascoyne, Little Sandy Desert and Pilbara biogeographic regions; [14] provisional subspecies Milgun occurs on a floodplain in rocky soil in the Gascoyne biogeographic region; [3] [15] provisional subspecies Neds Creek is found to the east of Neds Creek homestead, provisional subspecies large leaves between Newman and Kumarina and provisional subspecies small calyx between Paynes Find and Meekatharra. [3]

Conservation

All the subspecies of E.platycalyx described to date are classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [16]

Use in horticulture

This eremophila bears masses of white to cream flowers which are attractive to nectar-feeding birds. Some forms also have colourful sepals which remain on the plant for much longer than the petals. Although slow-growing, it is long-lived and if regularly, lightly pruned from an early age, will keep its compact shape for many years. It can be propagated from cuttings or by grafting onto Myoporum rootstock and grown in a wide range of soils. It grows best in full sun, only needs an occasional watering during long droughts but can be sensitive to frost. [17]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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

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

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 arachnoides is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a few arid areas of Western Australia and South Australia. It is a little-known, broom-shaped shrub with white to mauve, trumpet-shaped flowers which are densely hairy on the inside.

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

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.

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

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.

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

Eremophila forrestii, commonly known as Wilcox bush is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a many-branched shrub with its branches, leaves and sepals densely-covered with a thick layer of greyish or yellowish hairs giving the plant a felty appearance. Its flowers are cream-coloured to pink and are spotted or streaked dark red. It occurs mostly in Western Australia but also in the far west of South Australia and the Northern Territory. Six subspecies are recognised by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.

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

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.

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

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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 phyllopoda</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila phyllopoda is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub, sometimes round or flat-topped with sticky, hairy leaves and flowers ranging in colour from pink or lilac to purple.

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

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.

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

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.

<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 platycalyx". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 334–337. ISBN   9781877058165.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Brown, Andrew; Buirchell, Bevan (2011). A field guide to the eremophilas of Western Australia (1st ed.). Hamilton Hill, W.A.: Simon Nevill Publications. pp. 210–211. ISBN   9780980348156.
  4. ↑ "Eremophila platycalyx". APNI. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  5. ↑ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1866). Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae. 5. p. 109. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  6. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  7. ↑ "Eremophila platycalyx subsp. platycalyx". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  8. ↑ "Eremophila platycalyx subsp. pardalota". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  9. ↑ "Eremophila platycalyx subsp. 'Milgun'". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  10. ↑ "Eremophila phyllopoda subsp. Neds Creek". APNI. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  11. ↑ "Eremophila phyllopoda subsp. large leaves". APNI. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  12. ↑ "Eremophila phyllopoda subsp. small calyx". APNI. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  13. ↑ "Eremophila platycalyx subsp. platycalyx". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  14. ↑ "Eremophila platycalyx subsp. pardalota". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  15. ↑ "Eremophila platycalyx subsp. Milgun". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  16. ↑ "Eremophila platycalyx". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  17. ↑ Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. pp. 144–145. ISBN   9781876473655.
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