Eremophila ionantha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eremophila ionantha |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
| Genus: | Eremophila |
| Species: |
E. ionantha
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| Binomial name | |
| Eremophila ionantha Diels
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Eremophila ionantha is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the figwort family, called Scrophulariaceae. This plant is special because it is only found in Western Australia. It grows as a shrub with many sticky branches. Its leaves are narrow and light green, and its flowers can be blue, purple, or violet.
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About This Plant
Eremophila ionantha is a shrub that stands upright. It can grow to be between 0.4 and 2.5 m (1 and 8 ft) tall. It has many branches that spread out or grow upwards. These branches feel sticky because they have a natural substance called resin on them. They also have tiny, wart-like bumps and special glandular hairs.
The leaves grow in pairs on opposite sides of the branches. They are a light, olive-green color and are shaped like thin lines. Most leaves are about 9–30 mm (0.4–1 in) long and only about 1.0 mm (0.04 in) wide. They are often curved, sometimes even S-shaped, and feel sticky, especially when they are young.
Flowers and Fruits
The flowers grow either alone or in pairs on a stalk. This stalk is usually 4–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and is smooth (meaning it has no hairs) and sticky. Each flower has 5 green parts called sepals, which are sometimes tinged with reddish-brown. These sepals are narrow and about 2.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. They only have hairs on their inside surface.
The petals of the flower are 15–28 mm (0.6–1 in) long. They join together at their bottom to form a tube shape. When the flower bud opens, the petal tube is a pale lilac or violet color on the outside. Inside, it is white to pale lilac. The outside of the petal tube is smooth and often shiny. However, the middle part of the lower petal and the inside of the tube are covered with tangled hairs. There are 4 stamens (the parts that make pollen) hidden completely inside the petal tube.
This plant usually flowers from late September to February. After the flowers, it produces fruits. These fruits are hairy, woody, and shaped like an oval or a cone with a pointed end. They are about 5 mm (0.2 in) long.
How It Got Its Name
The plant Eremophila ionantha was first officially described in 1905. Two scientists, Ludwig Diels and Ernst Georg Pritzel, wrote about it in a scientific book called Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie.
The second part of its scientific name, ionantha, comes from Ancient Greek words. The word ion means "violet," and anthos means "flower." So, the name ionantha basically means "violet flower," which describes the color of its blooms!
Where Does It Grow?
E. ionantha grows in Eucalyptus woodland areas. You can find it between the towns of Merredin and Balladonia in Western Australia. It lives in several different natural areas, including the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, Mallee, and Murchison regions.
Is It Endangered?
Good news! The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife says that this plant is "not threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
Growing Eremophila ionantha
This type of eremophila is a very strong plant that doesn't need much care. It can live for a very long time! Some plants in gardens have been known to survive for over 40 years. It's a medium-sized shrub with pretty blue to purple flowers.
You can easily grow new plants from cuttings (small pieces of the plant) at any time of the year. It can grow in most types of soil, even heavy clay. It does well in full sun or deep shade. Plus, it can handle both dry weather and frost. It's also good at standing up to windy conditions, making it useful as a small windbreak in gardens.
