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Eremophila pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Silver poverty bush
E. pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa leaves and flowers
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
Subspecies:
E. p. subsp. pterocarpa
Trinomial name
Eremophila pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa

Eremophila pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a common and widespread large shrub or small tree with grey leaves and sepals and orange, pink or yellow petals.

Description

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Eremophila pterocarpa subspecies pterocarpa is a shrub or small tree growing to 0.8–5 metres (3–20 ft) high. The branches are prominently ribbed and the leaves are linear to lance-shaped, 20–40 millimetres (0.8–2 in) long and 2–5.6 millimetres (0.08–0.2 in) wide with a pointed end. The leaves and stems are covered with powder-like short, matted hairs. Most of the leaves have their bases twisted so that the leaves face horizontally.[2][3]

The flowers are red to yellow, lack spots and are arranged singly in the leaf axils on a stalk which is 10–16 millimetres (0.4–0.6 in) long. There are 5 sepals which are narrow egg-shaped to triangular and of approximately equal lengths. The petals, which give the flowers their colour are 14–24 millimetres (0.6–0.9 in) long and joined in a tube with 5 lobes at the end. As with the leaves, the sepals and petals have a dusty covering of short, fine hairs. Flowering occurs between June and September and is followed by fruits which are flattened and dry with papery wings.[2][3][4]

E. pterocarpa subsp. acicularis growing east of Shark Bay
E. pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa flower detail

Taxonomy and naming

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The species was first formally described in 1904 by William Vincent Fitzgerald in the Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia. When Robert Chinnock reviewed the genus, he recognised a subspecies - E. pterocarpa subsp. acicularis as well as the type subspecies pterocarpa.[1][5]

Distribution and habitat

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Subspecies pterocarpa occurs between the Cape Range, Shark Bay and Meekatharra areas where it grows in sandy clay or soils derived from limestone, in flats or salty sites.[2][4][6]

Conservation

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Subspecies pterocarpa is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Eremophila pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa". APNI. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Chinnock, Robert J. (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 481–482. ISBN 9781877058165.
  3. ^ a b Brown, Andrew; Buirchell, Bevan (2011). A field guide to the eremophilas of Western Australia (1st ed.). Hamilton Hill, W.A.: Simon Nevill Publications. p. 227. ISBN 9780980348156.
  4. ^ a b c "Eremophila pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  5. ^ Fitzgerald, William Vincent (1904). "Additions to the West Australian Flora". Journal of the West Australian Natural History Society. 1: 28–29. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  6. ^ Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 341. ISBN 0646402439.