Eremophila clavata facts for kids

The Eremophila clavata is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the figwort family, also known as Scrophulariaceae. This plant grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. It's a small, bushy shrub that spreads out. It has narrow, grey leaves shaped like clubs and pretty flowers that can be pink, purple, or sometimes blue.

About the Eremophila clavata Plant

The Eremophila clavata is a small, bushy shrub. It usually grows to about 0.5 metres (1.6 feet) tall and spreads out to about 0.8 metres (2.6 feet) wide. Its branches are covered with soft, grey hairs.

Its leaves are scattered along the stems. They are usually between 5 and 11 millimetres (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long and 0.9 to 1.6 millimetres (0.04 to 0.06 inches) wide. The leaves are shaped like clubs, meaning they are thicker at the end. The top of the leaf is smooth, but the bottom has small, bumpy lumps. When they are new, the leaves are hairy and have white, sticky resin flakes. As they get older, they become smooth (this is called glabrous).

Flowers and Fruits

The flowers of Eremophila clavata grow one by one where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower sits on a small stalk, about 1.7 to 5 millimetres (0.07 to 0.2 inches) long.

Each flower has five green, egg-shaped sepals that are about 2.5 to 4 millimetres (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long. These sepals slightly overlap each other. The petals are joined together at their bottom to form a tube, and this tube is 10 to 13 millimetres (0.4 to 0.5 inches) long. The outside of the petal tube can be white, pink, mauve, or purple. Inside, it's white with purple spots and filled with fine, spidery hairs.

There are four stamens inside the flower. Two of these stamens stick out a little bit from the tube, while the other two stay inside. This plant mostly flowers from September to December. After the flowers, it produces dry, wrinkled, cone-shaped fruits. These fruits are 3 to 4 millimetres (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long and covered with hairs.

How the Eremophila clavata Got Its Name

This plant was officially described for the first time in 2007 by a scientist named Robert Chinnock. He published his description in a book called Eremophila and Allied Genera: A Monograph of the Plant Family Myoporaceae.

The first plant specimen used to describe the species (called the type specimen) was collected by Chinnock himself. He found it about 31 kilometres (19 miles) north of Widgiemooltha. The second part of the plant's scientific name, clavata, comes from a Latin word. It means "club-shaped," which perfectly describes the shape of this plant's leaves, as they get thicker near the end.

Where the Eremophila clavata Grows

The Eremophila clavata grows in the area between Coolgardie and Salmon Gums. These areas are part of the Coolgardie and Mallee regions in Western Australia. You can find it growing in loam (a type of soil) or lateritic clay. It likes to grow on flat plains and the sides of small hills.

Conservation Status of Eremophila clavata

The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at the Eremophila clavata. They have officially said that this plant is "not threatened." This means there are enough of these plants in the wild, and they are not currently at risk of disappearing.

Using Eremophila clavata in Gardens

This small, bushy Eremophila plant is very tough and beautiful when it flowers. It's a great choice for small gardens.

You can grow new plants from cuttings (small pieces of the plant) or by grafting (joining parts of two plants together). It can grow in many different types of soil, whether it gets full sun or some shade. It can also handle cold frosts and dry weather, making it a very strong plant for different conditions.