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Eremophila humilis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Eremophila humilis

Priority One — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. humilis
Binomial name
Eremophila humilis

Eremophila humilis is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, rounded shrub with club-shaped leaves and white bell-shaped flowers and which is only found in a restricted area near Meekatharra.

Description

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Eremophila humilis is a rounded, densely-branched, dark green shrub which grows to a height of between 0.25 and 0.5 m (0.8 and 2 ft) with branches and leaves that are sticky and shiny when young. The leaves are crowded near the ends of the branches and are mostly 3–10 mm (0.1–0.4 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide, linear to club-shaped and lumpy due to enlarged resin glands.[2][3]

The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a mostly hairy stalk 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long. There are 5 green to purple, elliptic to egg-shaped, pointed sepals which are 6–9.5 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long. The petals are white, 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a bell-shaped tube. The outside of the tube and petal lobes are slightly hairy but the inside is glabrous. The 4 stamens extend beyond the end of the petal tube. Flowering occurs from June to September and is followed by fruits which are dry, woody, oval-shaped and 4–4.5 mm (0.16–0.18 in) long.[2][3]

Taxonomy and naming

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The 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 (humilis) is a Latin word meaning "low" or "small" (usually in stature) referring to the habit of this species.[2][5]

Distribution and habitat

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Eremophila humilis grows in clay loam on stony hills near Mount Vernon, north west of Meekatharra[2][3] in the Gascoyne biogeographic region.[6][7]

Conservation status

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Eremophila humilis is classified as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife,[6] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk.[6][8]

References

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  1. ^ "Eremophila humilis". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 546–547. ISBN 9781877058165.
  3. ^ a b c Brown, Andrew; Buirchell, Bevan (2011). A field guide to the eremophilas of Western Australia (1st ed.). Hamilton Hill, W.A.: Simon Nevill Publications. p. 148. ISBN 9780980348156.
  4. ^ "Eremophila humilis". APNI. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  5. ^ Francis Aubie Sharr (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings. Kardinya, Western Australia: Four Gables Press. p. 220. ISBN 9780958034180.
  6. ^ a b c "Eremophila humilis". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  7. ^ Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 337. ISBN 0646402439.
  8. ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 3 February 2016.