Spaghetti eremophila facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spaghetti eremophila |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eremophila (plant)
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| Species: |
fasciata
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Eremophila fasciata, also known as spaghetti eremophila, is a cool flowering plant. It belongs to the figwort family. This plant only grows in a small part of Western Australia. It's a bushy plant with grey, fuzzy leaves. Its branches have pretty blue or violet flowers clustered at their tips.
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What it Looks Like
Eremophila fasciata is a straight, upright bush. It usually grows about 0.5 to 1.5 meters (1.6 to 4.9 feet) tall. The whole plant is covered in soft, yellowish-grey hairs. This makes its leaves feel like felt. Its branches feel rough because old leaves leave marks when they fall off.
The leaves are packed closely together at the ends of the branches. They are about 34 to 55 millimeters (1.3 to 2.2 inches) long. They are also 2 to 4 millimeters (0.08 to 0.16 inches) wide. The leaves are thick and shaped like thin lines.
The Flowers
The flowers grow one by one where the leaves meet the stem. They are grouped together near the ends of the branches. Each flower has five claw-like sepals. Sepals are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. These sepals are shaped like lines and are pointy at the end. They are about 9 to 11.5 millimeters (0.35 to 0.45 inches) long. They are also covered in the same soft hairs as the leaves.
The petals are about 25 to 30 millimeters (0.98 to 1.2 inches) long. They join together at the bottom to form a tube. The outside of this tube is a dark lilac or blue color. The inside is white with lilac spots. The outside of the tube and the petal tips are hairy. But the inside of the petal tips is smooth. The inside of the tube is full of white, woolly hairs.
This plant blooms from June to September. After the flowers, it grows cone-shaped fruits. These fruits are about 7.5 to 8.5 millimeters (0.30 to 0.33 inches) long and are also covered in woolly hairs.
Its Name and Discovery
A scientist named Robert Chinnock first officially described this plant in 2007. He wrote about it in a book called Eremophila and Allied Genera: A Monograph of the Plant Family Myoporaceae.
The second part of its scientific name, fasciata, comes from a Latin word. This word means "a bundle." Chinnock chose this name because the flowers grow in dense clusters at the tips of the branches. This makes the plant look like it's bundled together.
Where it Lives
Eremophila fasciata is only found in a small area. It grows in the hills south-east of Meekatharra. This area is part of the Murchison region in Western Australia. It grows among other thick bushes there.
Is it Rare?
The Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife lists Eremophila fasciata as "Priority Three". This means that not much is known about it. It's only found in a few places. However, it is not in immediate danger of disappearing.
Growing This Plant
The crowded, furry leaves of the spaghetti eremophila are very pretty. But they might not do well in places with lots of humidity. This plant also produces many flowers in spring.
It can be tricky to grow E. fasciata from seeds or from cuttings. Cuttings are pieces of the plant that can grow into a new plant. However, you can graft it onto a Myoporum rootstock when the weather is warm. Grafting means joining parts of two plants so they grow as one.
This plant likes soil that drains well. It can grow in full sun or in partial shade. It can also handle most frosts.
