Eremophila microtheca
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Heath-like eremophila | |
|---|---|
 | |
| In Mount Annan Botanic Garden | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
| Genus: | Eremophila |
| Species: | E. microtheca |
| Binomial name | |
| Eremophila microtheca | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Eremophila microtheca, also known as heath-like eremophila,[3] is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with densely hairy branches and leaves, narrow leaves and pale lilac-coloured flowers and which emits a strong odour.
Eremophila microtheca is an erect shrub which grows to a height of between 0.7 and 1.6 m (2 and 5 ft) and which emits a strong odour. The branches are covered with fine, branched hairs except for glabrous bands under the leaves. The leaves are linear to almost cylindrical in shape and are mostly 6–16 mm (0.2–0.6 in) long and about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide.[3][2]
The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a stalk 3–6 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. There are 5 hairy, overlapping, lance-shaped, tapering sepals which are mostly 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long. The petals are 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petals are pale lilac to purple on the outside and white inside with purple spots. The petal tube and lobes are glabrous except for a few hairs inside the tube. The 4 stamens are fully enclosed in the petal tube. Flowering occurs from July to September and the fruits which follow are dry, oval-shaped, wrinkled, glabrous and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long.[3][2]
Taxonomy and naming
The species was first formally described in 1882 by Ferdinand von Mueller and George Bentham from specimens collected by Augustus Frederick Oldfield at Port Gregory. They gave the species the name Pholidia microtheca and the description was published in Flora Australiensis.[4][5] In 1882, Mueller changed the name to Eremophila microtheca, publishing the change in Systematic Census of Australian Plants.[6][7] The specific epithet (microtheca) is derived from the Ancient Greek μικρός (mikrós) meaning "small"[8]: 522 and θήκη (thḗkē) meaning "case" or "sheath"[8]: 789 in reference to the small fruits of this species.[2]
Distribution and habitat
Eremophila microtheca occurs in moist places between Kalbarri and Eneabba[3] in the Geraldton Sandplains biogeographic region.[9]
Conservation status
Eremophila microtheca is classified as "Priority Four" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife,[9] meaning that is rare or near threatened.[10]
