| Eremophila pungens | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
| Genus: | Eremophila |
| Species: | E. pungens |
| Binomial name | |
| Eremophila pungens | |
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 pungens is an erect shrub which grows to a height of between 1.0 and 1.5 m (3 and 5 ft). Its branches are densely covered with short, white hairs and are sticky, especially in the younger parts, due to the presence of resin. The leaves are mostly arranged alternately and densely clustered near the ends of the branches so that they overlap each other. The leaves are egg-shaped, 5–11 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long, 1 mm (0.04 in) wide, covered with short, fine, white hairs and have serrated edges. The hairs are often obscured by resin which dries to a white coating on the leaves. The leaf ends in a sharp, curved spine. [2] [3]
The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a hairy stalk 9–28 mm (0.4–1 in) long. There are 5 green to purple, overlapping, egg-shaped to lance-shaped sepals which are mostly 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and which end in a spine. The petals are 20–35 mm (0.8–1 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petal tube is lilac-coloured, purple or violet on the outside, while the inside of the tube and lower part of the lobes are whitish with reddish-brown spots. The outside surface of the tube and petal lobes is hairy but the inside surface of the petal lobes is glabrous while the tube is filled with long, soft hairs. The lower lobe is often pushed up and closes the opening of the petal tube. The 4 stamens are fully enclosed in the petal tube. Flowering occurs from June to August and is followed by fruit which are dry, woody, oval-shaped, about 7–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long and have a hairy, papery covering. [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 (pungens) is a Latin word meaning "sharp", "acrid", "piercing" or "biting", [5] referring to the pointed leaf tips. [2]
This eremophila occurs between Meekatharra and Wiluna [3] in the Gascoyne and Murchison biogeographic regions [6] where it grows on stony slopes. [2] [3] [7]
Eremophila pungens is classified as "Priority Four" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife, [6] meaning that is rare or near threatened. [8]
This is a slow-growing shrub but its usually lilac-coloured flowers are well displayed. The leaves are prickly and this feature needs to be taken into account when deciding where the plant is to be grown. It is usually propagated by grafting onto Myoporum species and grows best in well-drained soils in a sunny or partially shaded position. It only needs an occasional watering during a long drought but is only moderately frost tolerant. [9]
Eremophila decussata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is only known from several small, disjunct areas in Western Australia and South Australia. It is small, spreading, silvery-grey shrub with soft leaves and lilac-coloured flowers with spots or streaks of purple inside the flower.
Eremophila enata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to central areas of Western Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with serrated leaves and purplish to pinkish 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 flabellata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small shrub with serrated leaves, broad serrated sepals and pink, purple or mauve 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 obliquisepala is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small, compact shrub with serrated leave, blue to purple flowers and unusually-shaped sepals.
Eremophila obovata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a low, compact shrub with lilac to purple flowers growing mainly in the Northern Territory and Queensland but also Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales.
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 perglandulosa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub which has small leaves with many glandular hairs and mauve or purple 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 pilosa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small shrub with many tangled branches, with its leaves and branches densely covered with hairs and which has mauve or purple flowers. It occurs in a restricted area in the Pilbara.
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 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.
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.
Eremophila warnesii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, compact shrub with furry leaves, hairy sepals and blue to mauve petals. It is a little-known species, named after the founder of the Eremophila Study Group.
