Eremophila eversa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eremophila eversa |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eremophila (plant)
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| Species: |
eversa
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Eremophila eversa is a special kind of flowering plant that belongs to the figwort family. It is found only in a small area of Western Australia. This plant is very rare; in fact, only one plant was ever known, and sadly, it is now thought to have died. It was a small shrub with tiny leaves and pretty purple or lilac-colored flowers that were a bit hairy.
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What it Looks Like
Eremophila eversa was a small shrub that grew to about 0.5 m (2 ft) (about 1.6 feet) tall. Its branches were rough and covered with short, milky-white hairs. The leaves grew one after another along the stem, in an "alternate" pattern. They were also very close together, slightly overlapping each other.
The bottom part of each leaf was pressed against the stem. The top half curved outwards, which is what its name "eversa" means. The leaves were shaped like an oval or a narrow spear. They had hairs just like the branches and were thicker along their edges. Each leaf was about 3–6 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and 1–1.8 mm (0.04–0.07 in) wide.
Flowers and How They Grow
The flowers of Eremophila eversa grew one by one where a leaf met the stem. Each flower had a straight, hairy stalk, usually about 4.5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long. There were five hairy, green to purple sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. These sepals were mostly 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long.
The petals were about 15 mm (0.6 in) long. They joined together at their bottom to form a tube shape. The outside of this petal tube was purple, while the inside was lilac with dark purple spots. Both the outside of the tube and the petal tips were hairy. However, the inside of the petal tips was smooth (called glabrous). The inside of the tube was full of long, soft hairs. The four stamens, which produce pollen, were completely hidden inside the petal tube. This plant flowered in September, but we don't know what its fruits looked like.
Naming the Plant
This plant was first officially described by a scientist named Robert Chinnock in 2007. He published its description in a book about Eremophila plants. The very first plant specimen, called the "type specimen," was found by William Fletcher at a place called Yerilla Station. The second part of the plant's scientific name, eversa, comes from a Latin word. It means "turned abruptly outwards," which describes how the leaves curve away from the stem.
Where it Lived
Eremophila eversa is only known from that one "type specimen" plant. It was found at Yerilla Station in a dry area of Western Australia called the Murchison region. People tried to protect that plant by building a fence around it to keep grazing animals away. However, it seems that the plant has now died. Scientists searched for more of these plants in 2004 but could not find any living ones.
Protecting the Plant
The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified Eremophila eversa as "Priority One". This means it is known from only one or a very few places. These locations are potentially at risk, making the plant very vulnerable. This classification helps highlight how important it is to protect such rare species.
