Silver poverty bush | |
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E. pterocarpa subsp. pterocarpa leaves and flowers | |
Scientific classification
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Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
Genus: | Eremophila |
Species: | |
Subspecies: | E. p. subsp. pterocarpa
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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.
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]
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]
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]
Subspecies pterocarpa is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [4]