Eremophila racemosa

Last updated

Showy eremophila
Eremophilaracemosa.jpg
At Cuyamaca College, California
Status DECF P4.svg
Priority Four — Rare Taxa (DEC)
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. racemosa
Binomial name
Eremophila racemosa
Synonyms [1]

Eremophila racemosa, also known as showy eremophila, [2] is a flowering plant in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae, and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with glabrous leaves, small, green sepals and flowers that have many colour variations often changing as they age.

Contents

Description

Eremophila racemosa is an erect shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.3–1.6 m (1 ft 0 in – 5 ft 3 in) and has mostly glabrous branches and leaves. The leaves are arranged alternately along the branches, narrowly lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, mostly 18–43 mm (0.7–2 in) long and 2–6 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide. There are sometimes a few simple hairs pressed against the base of the leaf. [3] [4] [5] [6]

The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on glabrous, sometimes s-shaped stalks 15–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) long. There are five green, egg-shaped, tapering sepals 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and glabrous on the outside but hairy on the inside. The petals are 15–22 mm (0.6–0.9 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. The flower buds are orange on top, yellowish below and turn red as the flower opens with the petal tube having a lighter colour inside. Alternately, the buds may be pinkish to pale yellow turning light cream when they open. The flowers are sometimes spotted, and pure white forms are known. The petal tube and lobes are glabrous, apart from long white hairs on the base of the petal lobes and inside the tube. The four stamens extend beyond the end of the petal tube but shorten as the flower ages. Flowering occurs from March to December and the fruits that follow are fleshy at first, then dry, almost spherical, 9–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and have a whitish-grey, spotted, papery covering. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Taxonomy and naming

This species was first formally described in 1838 by Stephan Endlicher who gave it the name Stenochilus racemosus in his book Stirpium Australasicarum Herbarii Hugeliani Decades Tres. [7] [8] The type specimen was collected by John Septimus Roe in the interior of Western Australia in December 1836. The species was transferred into the genus Eremophila by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1859, with the change published in Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Van Diemen's Land. [9] [10] No further collections of the species were made until 1978. Robert Chinnock named the new collection Eremophila bicolor, [11] unaware that it had been described more than 100 years earlier. [4]

The specific epithet (racemosa) means "in racemes". [3]

Distribution and habitat

Showy eremophila grows in loamy soils on undulating plains in the semi-arid zone north of Ravensthorpe, between Hyden and Norseman [4] [6] in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie and Mallee biogeographic regions. [2] Until recently, the species was only known from small populations in disturbed areas such as roadsides but following widespread bushfires in 1992, populations of thousands were discovered. [3]

Conservation

This species is classified as "Priority Four" under the Western Australian Government Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 , [2] meaning that it is rare or near threatened. [12]

Use in horticulture

Showy eremophila is reasonably well known in horticulture, including in the United States and especially in California. [5] [13] It is fast-growing, with massed displays of bird-attracting flowers in spring; but it may only live for 8 to 10 years. [6] It is usually propagated from cuttings, and only takes a few weeks to develop roots. Well-drained soil in a sunny position is preferred but mature plants only need an occasional watering during a long drought. It is more tolerant of high humidity than most other eremophilas and can tolerate severe frosts, although temperatures below −6 °C (20 °F) may cause some damage to new foliage. It can suffer wind damage and may need support. [14]

Related Research Articles

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

Eremophila glabra, commonly known as tar bush, is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is sometimes a low, ground-hugging and sometimes an erect shrub. The leaves are variable in size and shape and there is a range of flower colours. In spite of its scientific name, not all forms of the plant are glabrous but most have many small, raised glands on the stems, flowers and leaves.

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

Eremophila oldfieldii, commonly known as pixie bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with rough bark, broad, flat or narrow fleshy leaves and red, orange or yellow flowers.

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

Eremophila deserti is a shrub which is endemic to Australia. Common names for this species include turkey bush, dogwood, poison bushEllangowan poison bush, pencil bush and carrot bush. It is common and widespread in all mainland states, although not the Northern Territory. Some forms are poisonous to stock.

<i>Grevillea integrifolia</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to Western Australia

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

Eremophila conferta is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area in the central west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with many tangled branches with leaves crowded near their ends and with mauve or purple flowers.

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

Eremophila lehmanniana is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub, usually with short, wide, serrated leaves and white to lilac-coloured flowers. It occurs in the south west of Western Australia.

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

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.

<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 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.

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

Eremophila serpens, commonly known as snake eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a prostrate, creeping shrub with long, horizontal branches, leaves which often have irregular serrations, and yellowish-green petals with red or brownish-purple markings.

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

Eremophila serrulata, commonly known as serrate-leaved eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub whose leaves are sticky and have small serrations, and flowers that have green, yellowish-green or yellowish-brown petals.

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.

<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 spuria</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila spuria is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, open shrub with narrow leaves and blue, lilac, purple or white flowers and is a common and widespread species.

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

Eremophila viscida, commonly known as varnish bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a large shrub or small tree with large green leaves which are sticky when young, colourful sepals and greenish-white petals with red to purple markings.

<i>Verticordia grandiflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Verticordia grandiflora, commonly known as claw featherflower, clawed featherflower or horned featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, rigid shrub with many short side-branches, mostly linear leaves and heads of yellow flowers which soon age to reddish but which are among the largest in the genus. It is similar in appearance to several other species of verticordias with which it is often confused.

<i>Darwinia purpurea</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia purpurea, commonly known as the rose darwinia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub with linear leaves and dense heads of red or yellow flowers surrounded by many overlapping involucral bracts.

<i>Conospermum huegelii</i> Species of Australian shrub

Conospermum huegelii, commonly known as the slender smokebush, is a plant endemic to Western Australia.

<i>Daviesia alternifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Daviesia alternifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a dense, spreading shrub with scattered, egg-shaped phyllodes with the narrower end towards the base, and orange and red flowers with a greenish-yellow centre.

<i>Daviesia oppositifolia</i> Species of legume

Daviesia oppositifolia, commonly known as rattle-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with many stems, egg-shaped phyllodes with the narrower end towards the base, and yellow flowers with maroon markings.

References

  1. 1 2 "Eremophila racemosa". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 "Eremophila racemosa". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 567–569. ISBN   9781877058165.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Brown, Andrew; Buirchell, Bevan (2011). A field guide to the eremophilas of Western Australia (1st ed.). Hamilton Hill, W.A.: Simon Nevill Publications. p. 234. ISBN   9780980348156.
  5. 1 2 3 "Eremophila racemosa". Australian Native Plants Society Australia. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 French, Jenifer. "Eremophila racemosa". Australian National Botanic Garden. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  7. ↑ "Stenochilus racemosus". APNI. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  8. ↑ Endlicher, Stephan (1838). "Stirpium Australasicarum Herbarii Hugeliani Decades Tres". Annalen des Wiener Museums der Naturgeschichte. 2: 202. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  9. ↑ "Eremophila racemosa". APNI. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  10. ↑ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1859). "On the genus Eremophila". Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of van Diemen's Land. 3: 297. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  11. ↑ "Eremophila bicolor". APNI. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  12. ↑ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  13. ↑ O'Connell, Jo. "Eremophila racemosa". Australian Native Plants. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  14. ↑ Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. pp. 155–157. ISBN   9781876473655.
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