parvifolia – small-leaved poverty bush E. micrantha – small-flowered poverty bush E. granitica – granite poverty bush, thin-leaved poverty bush E. 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. 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. Īs the flower ages, the corolla falls off, then the calyx enlarges and becomes coloured as the fruit enlarges. A few others have flowers with a combination of these arrangements.
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. 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. Sometimes only the petals are coloured but often the sepals are also colourful. Many species have flowers which have a combination of colours, or have spotted or streaked markings, or both. The most common flower colours are red, purple, lilac and mauve but others are white and even green. The flowers usually have 5 spreading sepals and 5 petals which are joined into a tube, at least at the base. Leaf size and shape is also variable but the leaves are usually small and are often shiny or hairy. Some species have common names including emu bush, poverty bush or fuchsia bush, reflecting the belief that emus eat the fruit, their arid environment or a superficial resemblance to the flowers of plants in the genus Fuchsia.Įremophilas vary in size and habit from low, prostrate shrubs such as E. The petals are joined, at least at their bases, into a tube with the upper petals different in size and shape from the lower ones. Eremophilas are widespread in the arid areas of Australia, especially Western Australia and range in size from low-growing shrubs to small trees. (One species, Eremophila debilis is thought to be a recent arrival in New Zealand). Eremophila is a genus of more than 260 species of plants in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae all of which are endemic to mainland Australia.
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