Eremophila pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa

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Silver poverty bush
Eremophila pterocarpa pterocarpa (leaves and flowers).jpg
Leaves and flowers
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. pterocarpa

Subspecies:
E. p. subsp. pterocarpa
Trinomial name
Eremophila pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa

Eremophila pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a common and widespread large shrub or small tree with grey leaves and sepals and orange, pink or yellow petals.

Contents

Description

Eremophila pterocarpa subspecies pterocarpa is a shrub or small tree growing to 0.8–5 metres (3–20 ft) high. The branches are prominently ribbed and the leaves are linear to lance-shaped, 20–40 millimetres (0.8–2 in) long and 2–5.6 millimetres (0.08–0.2 in) wide with a pointed end. The leaves and stems are covered with powder-like short, matted hairs. Most of the leaves have their bases twisted so that the leaves face horizontally. [2] [3]

The flowers are red to yellow, lack spots and are arranged singly in the leaf axils on a stalk which is 10–16 millimetres (0.4–0.6 in) long. There are 5 sepals which are narrow egg-shaped to triangular and of approximately equal lengths. The petals, which give the flowers their colour are 14–24 millimetres (0.6–0.9 in) long and joined in a tube with 5 lobes at the end. As with the leaves, the sepals and petals have a dusty covering of short, fine hairs. Flowering occurs between June and September and is followed by fruits which are flattened and dry with papery wings. [2] [3] [4]

East of Shark Bay Eremophila pterocarpa pterocarpa (habit).jpg
East of Shark Bay
Flower detail Eremophila pterocarpa pterocarpa (flower detail).jpg
Flower detail

Taxonomy and naming

The species was first formally described in 1904 by William Vincent Fitzgerald in the Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia. When Robert Chinnock reviewed the genus, he recognised a subspecies - E. pterocarpa subsp. acicularis as well as the autonym. [5] [6]

Distribution and habitat

Subspecies pterocarpa occurs between the Cape Range, Shark Bay and Meekatharra areas where it grows in sandy clay or soils derived from limestone, in flats or salty sites. [2] [4] [7]

Conservation

Subspecies pterocarpa is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [4]

References

  1. ↑ "Eremophila pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Chinnock, Robert J. (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 481–482. ISBN   9781877058165.
  3. 1 2 Brown, Andrew; Buirchell, Bevan (2011). A field guide to the eremophilas of Western Australia (1st ed.). Hamilton Hill, W.A.: Simon Nevill Publications. p. 227. ISBN   9780980348156.
  4. 1 2 3 "Eremophila pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  5. ↑ "Eremophila pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa". APNI. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  6. ↑ Fitzgerald, William Vincent (1904). "Additions to the West Australian Flora". Journal of the West Australian Natural History Society. 1: 28–29. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  7. ↑ Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 341. ISBN   0646402439.
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