Eremophila delisseri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eremophila delisseri |
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| In Mount Annan Botanic Garden | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eremophila (plant)
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| Species: |
delisseri
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Eremophila delisseri is a beautiful flowering plant that belongs to the figwort family, also known as Scrophulariaceae. This special plant is found only in a specific area of the Nullarbor Plain in South Australia. It's a small shrub with lovely lilac-colored flowers. Most parts of the plant are covered in soft white hairs, making it look a bit greyish-white.
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What Does Eremophila delisseri Look Like?
Eremophila delisseri is a small shrub that usually grows less than 0.5 m (2 ft) tall. It has branches that stand up straight and spread out. Many parts of the plant, like its branches and leaves, are covered with soft, whitish, branched hairs. This gives the whole plant a unique greyish-white color.
Leaves and Stems
The leaves grow in pairs, one across from the other. They are about 3.5–9.5 mm (0.1–0.4 in) long and 1.5–3.5 mm (0.06–0.1 in) wide. Their shape can be oblong or egg-shaped. The leaves also look a bit wrinkled and are covered in those whitish hairs.
Flowers and Fruits
The flowers of Eremophila delisseri grow one by one where the leaves meet the stem. They don't have a stalk. Each flower has five oblong or egg-shaped sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. These sepals are also covered in whitish hairs and are about 4–6.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long.
The petals are joined together at the bottom to form a tube, and they are about 20–25 mm (0.8–1 in) long. The outside of this tube is a pretty lilac color. But if you look inside, it's white with brown spots! The outside of the petal tube has hairs, just like the leaves. However, the inside of the petal tips are mostly smooth, or glabrous. The tube itself is filled with long, spidery hairs.
This plant usually blooms from August to September. After the flowers, it produces small, dry fruits. These fruits are oval-shaped with a pointed tip, hairy, and about 2.5 millimetres (0.1 in) long.
Where Does Its Name Come From?
The scientific name for this plant, Eremophila delisseri, was first officially written down in 1866. This was done by a botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller in his book Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae.
The second part of its name, delisseri, is a special way to honor someone. It was named after Edmund Delisser, who was a surveyor.
Where Does It Grow?
Eremophila delisseri is an endemic plant, meaning it grows naturally only in one specific place. That place is the Nullarbor Plain in South Australia.
For a while, people thought it might also grow in Western Australia. But it seems that might have been a mistake in figuring out the exact locations. This plant likes to grow in soil that contains calcium carbonate, which is a type of chalky or limy soil.
Growing Eremophila delisseri in Your Garden
This plant is so beautiful that some people think it's even better than the popular Eremophila nivea for gardens! It blooms a lot in spring, showing off its lovely lilac to purple flowers. Its whitish-grey leaves also curl away from the stem, adding to its unique look.
You can grow Eremophila delisseri from cuttings (small pieces of the plant) or by grafting it onto a Myoporum plant. It prefers soil that drains water well and loves to be in full sun. This plant is also very good at handling dry conditions (drought tolerant) and can survive most frosts, unless they are very severe.
