Eremophila virens

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Campion eremophila
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. virens
Binomial name
Eremophila virens

Eremophila virens, commonly known as green-flowered eremophila or Campion eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with large, shiny leaves and hairy, yellowish-green flowers.

Contents

Description

Eremophila virens is an erect shrub which grows to a height of between 2 and 5 m (7 and 20 ft) with branches that are glabrous apart from matted white to yellowish hairs around the bases of young leaves. The leaves are arranged alternately along the branches and have a stalk 10–28 mm (0.4–1 in) long which has a furrow on the upper surface and is densely covered with white to yellowish, matted hairs. The leaf blade is sticky, lance-shaped to egg-shaped, folded lengthwise with a tapered end, mostly 45–70 mm (2–3 in) long, about 15–30 mm (0.6–1 in) wide, glabrous and sometimes with small teeth along the edge. [2] [3] [4]

The flowers are borne singly or in groups of up to 3 in leaf axils on sticky, S-shaped stalks that are 20–25 mm (0.8–1 in). There are 5 overlapping, sticky green, oblong to narrow egg-shaped, more or less hairy sepals which are 6–11 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and mostly glabrous except for dense yellowish hairs near the top of the inner surface. The petals are 15–25 mm (0.6–1 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petal tube is green to yellowish-green and lacks spots. Both inner and outer surfaces are hairy but the hairs on the inner surface of the tube and its lobes are glandular. The 4 stamens extend beyond the end of the petal tube. Flowering occurs between August and October and is followed by fruit which are dry, woody, oval-shaped to almost spherical, 3.5–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) in diameter with a glabrous covering. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

The species was first formally described by Charles Gardner in 1942 from a specimen he collected near Campion. The description was published in Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia . [5] The specific epithet (virens) is a Latin word meaning "becoming green". [6]

Distribution and habitat

Green-flowered eremophila grows in sandy soil on quartzite hills and near granite outcrops in the Mukinbudin - Warralakin area [3] in the Avon Wheatbelt and Coolgardie biogeographic regions. [7]

Conservation

Eremophila virens is classified as "Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant)" by the Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia). [7] It is listed as "Endangered" (EN) under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) [8] and a recovery plan has been prepared. [4] In 2008 it was known from 14 populations over a range of 55 km (30 mi), none of which had more than 250 individual mature plants. [4]

Use in horticulture

This is one of the earliest flowering eremophilas, often having blossoms as early as July. Although the flowers are mostly green, they are attractive to nectar-feeding birds. The plant can be propagated from cuttings but these are slow to strike and grafting onto Myoporum rootstock is usually more reliable. It will grow in a wide range of soils in either full sun or part shade, only needs an occasional watering during a long dry spell but can be damaged by heavy frosts. Tip pruning to remove frost-damaged leaves helps to keep the plant compact and sometimes encourages the development of additional flowers. [9]

Related Research Articles

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

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Eremophila pendulina is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a tall, spindly, weeping shrub with narrow leaves and purple, mauve or white flowers in autumn and early spring.

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

Eremophila pinnatifida, commonly known as Dalwallinu eremophila is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a spreading, rounded shrub with aromatic, deeply divided leaves and pale purple flowers which are white with purple spots inside. It is a rare plant, known only from a few areas near Perth.

Eremophila setacea is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrow, glabrous leaves, hairy sepals and light blue to purple 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.

Eremophila tenella is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, spindly shrub with pendulous branches and with its branches and leaves covered with a layer of fine, branched, yellow-grey hairs. Its buds are yellowish but open to white or pale lilac flowers.

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

Eremophila ternifolia, commonly known as Wongan eremophila is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, many-branched, shrub with short, pointed leaves and small lilac-coloured or mauve flowers.

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

Eremophila veneta, commonly known as metallic-flowered eremophila is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, spreading, sticky shrub with dark green leaves and bluish-green petals.

Eremophila vernicosa, commonly known as resinous poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with its glabrous leaves and branches appearing varnished due to a thick covering of resin. It has small leaves and white to pale mauve 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 laccata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to an area near Carnegie in Western Australia. It is a small, low, spindly shrub with scattered, linear leaves, and pink, flattened bell-shaped flowers.

References

  1. ↑ "Eremophila virens". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 August 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. 607–609. ISBN   9781877058165.
  3. 1 2 3 Brown, Andrew; Buirchell, Bevan (2011). A field guide to the eremophilas of Western Australia (1st ed.). Hamilton Hill, W.A.: Simon Nevill Publications. p. 281. ISBN   9780980348156.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Patten, Julie; Brunt, Kate; Brown, Andrew. "Green-flowered emubush, Campion eremophila (Eremophila virens) recovery plan" (PDF). Government of Australia Department of the Environment. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "Eremophila virens". APNI. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  6. ↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 383.
  7. 1 2 "Eremophila virens". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  8. ↑ "Eremophila virens — Campion Eremophila, SPRAT profile". Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  9. ↑ Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. p. 58. ISBN   9781876473655.
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