Eremophila polyclada

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Twiggy emu-bush
Eremophila polyclada.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. polyclada
Binomial name
Eremophila polyclada
(F.Muell.) F.Muell. [1]
Synonyms [1]
  • Bondtia polyclada Kuntze orth. var.
  • Bontia polyclada(F.Muell.) Kuntze
  • Pholidia polycladaF.Muell. nom. inval., nom. nud.
  • Pholidia polycladaF.Muell.
  • Pholidia polycladaF.Muell. isonym

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.

Contents

Description

Eremophila polyclada is a dense, spreading shrub which grows to a height of 1–3 m (3–10 ft) and a width of 1–5 m (3–20 ft). Its branches diverge at about 90° to each other and are stiff, often with a spine at the end. The leaves are arranged alternately along the branches and are linear in shape, mostly 20–40 mm (0.8–2 in) long, 1–3 mm (0.04–0.1 in) wide and are often sticky when young due to the presence of resin. [2] [3] [4] [5]

The flowers are borne singly or in pairs in leaf axils on a stalk 1–2.5 mm (0.04–0.1 in) long. There are 5 green, overlapping sepals which are egg-shaped, have a prominent keel, thin, wing-like edges and are mostly 4.5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long. The petals are 20–35 mm (0.8–1 in) long, joined at their bases to form a tube. The petal tube is white to very pale whitish-lilac and has faint blackish to green purple spots on the inside of the lobes and purple spots inside the tube. The tube and petal lobes are glabrous except that the middle part of the lowest lobe and the inside of the tube are hairy. The 4 stamens are fully enclosed in the tube. Flowers appear between October and May and are followed by fruits which are oval-shaped, cone-shaped or elliptical with a pointed and are 8.5–13 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

The species was first formally described by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1855 as Pholidia polyclada. [6] The description was published in Journal of an Expedition into the Interior of Tropical Australia. [7] In 1860 Mueller changed the name to Eremophila polyclada. [8] [9] The specific epithet (polyclada) is derived from the ancient Greek words polys (πολύς), meaning "many" and klados (κλάδος) meaning "twig". [10]

Distribution

Eremophila polyclada is widespread in New South Wales to the west of Lightning Ridge [3] and in southern Queensland. It is also found in a few places along the Murray River in Victoria and South Australia. There is one record from Tarlton Downs in the Northern Territory. It grows in sandy to clay loam soils often on floodplains and other low-lying areas. [2] [3]

Use in horticulture

Twiggy emu-bush is an ornamental shrub which is well known in horticulture, and some specimens have been grown for more than 35 years. It flowers profusely in summer, bearing masses of white flowers when most other shrubs are dormant and is a useful screening plant, with its dense, tangled branches. Propagation is easiest from cuttings which strike within a few weeks in warm weather and its arching branches sometimes develop roots when they touch the ground. A very drought tolerant shrub, it only requires watering once or twice during a long drought and a deep watering early in summer will sometimes stimulate a mass flowering. It is also tolerant of frost and can be pruned, preferably in early autumn. [11] [12] A hybrid with E. divaricata called Eremophila 'summertime blue' [13] is popular in American gardens. [14] [15] [16]

Related Research Articles

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

Eremophila divaricata, also known as spreading emu bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub with stiff, spreading, tangled branches which are often spiny on their ends, erect leaves and mauve to lilac-coloured flowers.

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

Eremophila freelingii, commonly known as limestone fuchsia or rock fuchsia bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub with sticky, hairy, lance-shaped leaves and flowers a shade of light to dark lilac and which occurs in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.

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

Eremophila bowmanii, also known as silver turkeybush, Bowman's poverty bush and flannel bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. It is a low to medium, spreading shrub with silvery-grey, hairy foliage and blue to lilac flowers, and sometimes grows in dense thickets with mulga.

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

Eremophila macdonnellii, also known as MacDonnell's desert fuchsia, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub with many tangled branches, which, along with the leaves, are often covered with many, sometimes long hairs. The flowers are deep violet or purple, and the species is widespread in Central Australia.

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

Eremophila clarkei, commonly known as turpentine bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. It is a shrub which is variable in form, but usually with narrow leaves and white or pale pink flowers. It is similar to Eremophila georgei and Eremophila granitica.

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

Eremophila maitlandii, commonly known as Shark Bay poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a silvery-grey shrub with linear leaves and lilac-coloured to light purple flowers and is common in coastal areas between Shark Bay and Carnarvon.

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

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.

<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.

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

Eremophila microtheca, also known as heath-like eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with densely hairy branches and leaves, narrow leaves and pale lilac-coloured flowers and which emits a strong odour.

Eremophila battii, also known as Batt's poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to central Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with short, very hairy leaves and pink, purple or blue flowers.

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

Eremophila behriana is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It was one of the plants collected on the 1858 - 1859 Babbage expedition to explore areas north of Adelaide and was later described by Ferdinand von Mueller. It is a small shrub, usually with egg-shaped, serrated leaves and lilac to purple flowers with hairs on the lower petal lobe.

<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.

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.

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

Eremophila pantonii, commonly known as broombush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a broom-shaped shrub with narrow leaves which have a hooked tip, and blue or purple, sometimes white flowers in winter and spring.

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

Eremophila resinosa, also known as resinous eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub with sticky young foliage, short leaves, small sepals and mauve, purple or sometimes white flowers.

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.

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

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.

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

Eremophila santalina is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is an erect, glabrous shrub with thin branches, flexible leaves and white or cream-coloured flowers which sometimes have a slight pinkish-purple tinge.

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

Eremophila sargentii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with sticky, shiny foliage, small leaves and mauve or blue flowers.

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

Eremophila tietkensii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a rounded to flat-topped shrub with grey-green leaves, usually pinkish-purple sepals and mauve, pink or lilac-coloured petals. It is mostly found in Western Australia but also occurs in the far west of the Northern Territory.

References

  1. 1 2 "Eremophila polyclada". 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. 434–435. ISBN   9781877058165.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Chinnock, Robert J. "Eremophila polyclada". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: Plantnet. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Eremophila polyclada". State Herbarium of South Australia; eflora. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Eremophila polyclada". Lucid Central Keys. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "Pholidia polyclada". APNI. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  7. ↑ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1855). Definition of rare or hitherto undescribed Australian plants. Melbourne: Goodhugh and Trembath. pp. 14–15. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  8. ↑ "Eremophila polyclada". APNI. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  9. ↑ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1860). "On the genus Eremophila". Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of van Diemen's Land. 3 (2): 294. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  10. ↑ Backer, C.A. (1936). Verklarend woordenboek der wetenschappelijke namen van de in Nederland en Nederlandsch-Indië in het wild groeiende en in tuinen en parken gekweekte varens en hoogere planten (Edition Nicoline van der Sijs).
  11. ↑ Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. pp. 147–148. ISBN   9781876473655.
  12. ↑ "Eremophila polyclada". Alice Springs Land Council. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  13. ↑ "Eremophila 'summertime blue'". Australian Cultivar Registration Authority. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  14. ↑ Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. p. 79. ISBN   9781877058165.
  15. ↑ "Eremophila 'summertime blue'" (PDF). Mountain States Wholesale Nursery. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  16. ↑ Martin, Chris A. "Eremophila polyclada x divaricata 'Summertime Blue'". Arizona State University. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
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