Eremophila pallida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eremophila pallida |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eremophila (plant)
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| Species: |
pallida
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Eremophila pallida is a cool flowering plant that belongs to the figwort family. It's special because it's only found in Western Australia! This plant is a small, bushy shrub with fuzzy stems and leaves that have a few jagged edges. Its flowers are a pretty reddish-purple or violet color.
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What Eremophila pallida Looks Like
Eremophila pallida is a small, spreading shrub that usually grows up to about 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) tall. Its branches start out straw-colored, then turn a yellowish-white as they get older. These branches are covered with tiny hairs, some of which are glandular (meaning they produce sticky stuff like resin). This makes the ends of the branches often feel a bit sticky!
The leaves of this plant grow one after another along the branches. They are shaped like an oval or an egg and often have a few uneven teeth near their tips. Most leaves are about 4 to 11 millimeters long (less than half an inch) and 2.5 to 7 millimeters wide.
Flowers and Fruits
The flowers usually grow one by one where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower sits on a hairy stalk that is about 2 to 4 millimeters long. There are 5 overlapping, reddish-purple, hairy sepals (these are like small leaves that protect the bud). They are usually 5 to 9 millimeters long and can be egg-shaped or almost round.
The petals of the flower are 13 to 16.5 millimeters long. They are joined together at the bottom to form a tube. This petal tube is purple to reddish-purple on the outside. Inside, it's white with dark lilac-purple blotches. The outside of the flower's top parts and the upper tube are covered with glandular hairs. However, the lower part of the outside is smooth (meaning it has no hairs).
The inside of the petal lobes is also smooth. But the inside of the tube is full of long hairs! There are 4 stamens (the parts that make pollen) inside the petal tube. They are completely hidden. Eremophila pallida flowers from May to August. After flowering, it produces dry, oval-shaped, woody fruits that are about 5 to 6 millimeters long. These fruits have a papery covering with short hairs.
How Eremophila pallida Got Its Name
This plant was first officially described by a scientist named Robert Chinnock in 2007. He published his description in a book about Eremophila plants.
The special part of its name, pallida, comes from a Latin word. It means "ashen" or "wan," which refers to the very pale, light-colored young branches of this plant.
Where Eremophila pallida Lives
Eremophila pallida is found in the north-west part of Western Australia, near a place called Warburton. It grows in areas like the Central Ranges and Gibson Desert. These areas often have red, lateritic soils, which are a type of reddish soil. Sometimes, the ground also has a gibber surface, which means it's covered with loose, flat stones.
Protecting Eremophila pallida
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has given this species a "Priority Two" status. This means that we don't know a lot about this plant, and it's only found in one or a few places. Because it's so rare and not well-known, it needs special attention to make sure it stays safe and doesn't disappear.
