campanulata – bell-flowered poverty bush E. The name Eremophila is derived from the Ancient Greek ἐρῆμος (erêmos) meaning "lonely" or "desert" and φίλος (phílos) meaning “dear" or "beloved” alluding to the species' adaptation to arid environments.Į. The most recent additions to the list are Eremophila buirchellii and Eremophila calcicola which were formally described in 2016. So far, 221 species have been described but another 40 have been discovered but not yet described. Robert Chinnock is the modern authority who has named more than 100 species of eremophilas but because many species grow in rarely visited places, more remain to be named. The Victorian government botanist, Ferdinand von Mueller was the most influential early naturalist to take an interest in the genus and described 47 species, many of which were collected during expeditions to remote areas of Australia. alternifolia but Brown did not nominate a type species. The genus Eremophila was first formally described in 1810 by the botanist Robert Brown in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae and the first species to be named were E. However, many more are rare or threatened by human activities such as land clearing, pastoral activity and mining. sturtii reproduce by suckering and have become troublesome weeds in some areas. The fruits contain from 2 to 12 seeds and may lie dormant in the ground for many years until disturbed by fire, heavy rainfall and sometimes by human activity such as roadworks. A few others have flowers with a combination of these arrangements.Īs the flower ages, the corolla falls off, then the calyx enlarges and becomes coloured as the fruit enlarges. These flowers are generally bird pollinated, the bird holding the plant stem while it visits the flower. Less common are those that have four petal lobes at the top of the flower, one below which is curled under the flower and the stamens extending beyond the petal tube, as in the case of E. Species with this arrangement are generally insect-pollinated, the lower petals acting as a landing area. Glabra refers to the hairy leaves and helps the plant to avoid too much moisture loss due to sun and wind.There is variation in flower shape, the most common being two petals at the top of the tube and three below, with the stamens enclosed in the tube as in the case of E. Other Species: There are about 200 species of Eremophila All are native to Australia.Ĭomments: Eremophila until recently were classified within the plant family Myoporaceae but that family is now obsolete and they are now included into family Scrophulariaceae. Invasiveness: Not considered to be invasive. Prune after flowering to remove dead stems, maintain shape and encourage a bushy growth habit.ĭiseases: Non of note, however scale insects can be a problem when plants grown underglass. Maintenance: Once established these are a low maintenance plant. These are not showy flowers as are borne singularly in the leaf axis along each stem and so can be hidden by the foliage.Įremophila glabra is a variable species and will grow best in drier areas with low summer humidity and rainfall. The flowers are small, tubular in shape consisting of five petals and depending on the variety can be red, yellow or green. The leaves of some varieties also have a tiny hairs giving the foliage that silvery appearance. The leaves are small to medium in size and lanceolate in shape. The stems are erect and have a downy silver to white appearance. It is an attractive low growing shrub grown for is foliage which often has a silver appearance and its pretty flowers. Eremophila glabra or the Emu Bush is a small, bushy, evergreen shrub native to the semi-arid and arid areas of mainland Australia.
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