Eremophila serpens

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Snake eremophila
Eremophila serpens flower.jpg
Eremophila serpens growing near Lake King
Status DECF P4.svg
Priority Four — Rare Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. serpens
Binomial name
Eremophila serpens

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.

Contents

Eremophila serpens habit Eremophila serpens habit.jpg
Eremophila serpens habit
Eremophila serpens fruits Eremophila serpens fruits.jpg
Eremophila serpens fruits

Description

Eremophila serpens is a prostrate shrub which often has long, snake-like branches which have short side-branches. It forms patches 3 to 4 cm (1 to 2 in) high and up to 2.5 m (8 ft) wide. The branches are glabrous and contact the ground along most of their length, often forming roots. The leaves are arranged alternately along the branches and are lance-shaped, often have small, irregular serrations, and are mostly 31–47 mm (1–2 in) long and 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) wide. [2] [3] [4] [5]

The flowers are borne singly or in pairs in leaf axils on stalks mostly 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long but are mostly or partly hidden by the leaves. There are 5 green, overlapping, egg-shaped to lance-shaped sepals which are 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long but enlarge to 10–11 mm (0.39–0.43 in) long after flowering. The petals are 15–26 mm (0.6–1 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petal tube is lime-green or yellowish-green, with red or brownish purple markings on the top lobe. The petal tube and its lobes are glabrous apart from some hairs on the lowest lobe and inside the tube. The 4 stamens extend beyond the end of the petal tube and are the most conspicuous part of the flowers. Flowering mainly occurs between March and December and is followed by fruits which are dry, almost spherical, 6.5–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long with a grey, papery covering. [2] [3] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

The species was first formally described by Robert Chinnock in 1979 and the description was published in Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden. [6] [7] The specific epithet (serpens) is a Latin word meaning "snake", [8] referring to the habit of this species. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Eremophila serpens grows in sandy soil, often near the margins of salts lakes, between Hyden and Salmon Gums [3] [5] in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions. [9]

Conservation

Snake eremophila is classified as "Priority Four" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife, [9] meaning that is rare or near threatened. [10]

Use in horticulture

This eremophila makes an attractive understorey groundcover and attracts nectar-feeding birds. It can be easily propagated from cuttings and grown in a wide range of soils. It needs an occasional watering during a long dry spell and is frost-hardy. [11]

Related Research Articles

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

Eremophila decipiens, commonly known as slender fuchsia bush or narrow-leaved fuchsia bush is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to an area extending from the south-west of Western Australia to southern parts of South Australia. It is low, sprawling shrub with lance-shaped leaves and red, orange or yellow flowers on a long, S-shaped stalk.

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

Eremophila dichroantha, also known as bale-hook eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with many ascending branches making the plant appear broom-like. It has small, hooked leaves and small, though abundant, violet to lilac-coloured flowers.

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

Eremophila lactea, commonly known as milky emu bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with its branches and leaves mostly glabrous but with white blotches due to the presence of dry resin. It is a critically endangered plant species mostly found in disturbed areas such as roadsides.

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

Eremophila weldii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub with glabrous green leaves, small sepals and purple or lilac-coloured petals and it occurs in arid and semi-arid areas of Western Australia and South Australia.

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

Eremophila biserrata, also known as prostrate eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south of Western Australia. It is a prostrate shrub covering an area of up to about 2 m2 (20 sq ft) and which has serrated leaves and flowers that are green and yellow.

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

Eremophila compressa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub whose leaves have 2 or 3 prominent teeth near their ends, and white or cream-coloured flowers.

<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 falcata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a widely distributed shrub with distinctive curved leaves and white, lilac-coloured or pink flowers.

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

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.

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

Eremophila labrosa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with many hairy branches arising from near ground level, narrow, hooked leaves and mauve and blue flowers.

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

Eremophila lanceolata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with foliage which is shiny when young, angular branches and lilac to purple flowers and which grows in the north-west of Western Australia.

<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.

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 prolata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with a rounded top, prominently ridged, hairy branches, narrow leaves and white to deep lilac-coloured flowers.

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

Eremophila psilocalyx is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with a broom-like shape, narrow, hooked leaves and white, pink, blue or purple flowers. It is common in the mallee country around Esperance. It was sometimes incorrectly known as Eremophila pachyphylla.

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

Eremophila purpurascens, commonly known as purple eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, bushy shrub with warty leaves and spotted, pink to red flowers.

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

Eremophila recurva is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub with hairy grey leaves, large grey sepals and blue, mauve or lilac flowers.

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

Eremophila saligna, commonly known as willowy eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an upright shrub with narrow, serrated leaves, cylindrical flowers and cream to white petals.

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

Eremophila splendens is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub which is mostly covered with a layer of glandular hairs and has red, unspotted 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.

References

  1. ↑ "Eremophila serpens". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  2. 1 2 Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 577–578. ISBN   9781877058165.
  3. 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. 251. ISBN   9780980348156.
  4. ↑ Corrick, Margaret G.; Fuhrer, Bruce A. (2009). Wildflowers of southern Western Australia (3rd ed.). [Kenthurst, N.S.W.]: Rosenberg Pub. p. 109. ISBN   9781877058844.
  5. 1 2 3 Archer, William. "Eremophila serpens". Esperance Wildflowers. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Eremophila serpens". APNI. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  7. ↑ Chinnock, Robert J. (2 April 1979). "Ten new species of Eremophila (Myoporaceae) from Central and Western Australia" (PDF). Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden. 1 (4): 250–252. JSTOR   23872160 . Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  8. ↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 723.
  9. 1 2 "Eremophila serpens". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  10. ↑ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  11. ↑ Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. pp. 238–239. ISBN   9781876473655.
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