Eremophila petrophila facts for kids

Eremophila petrophila is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the figwort family, called Scrophulariaceae. This plant is special because it grows naturally only in Western Australia. It's a tall, upright shrub. It has rough branches, thin, sticky leaves, and pretty pale lilac flowers.

What it Looks Like

Eremophila petrophila is an open, upright shrub. It can grow up to 3.2 m (10 ft) tall. Sometimes it has one main stem. Other times, many branches grow from close to the ground. Its branches feel rough. This is because old leaf bases stay on them. The branches are also sticky and sometimes shiny. This stickiness comes from a sticky liquid called resin. Tiny, raised bumps called glands on the plant make this resin.

The leaves grow in groups near the ends of the branches. They are long and narrow, like a line or a spear tip. They are about 8–23 mm (0.3–0.9 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. Most of the leaves are smooth, meaning they have no hairs. But they are sticky and often shiny from the resin.

The Flowers

The flowers grow one by one where a leaf meets the stem. Each flower has a small stalk about 1.5–4.5 mm (0.06–0.2 in) long. This stalk is covered with tiny glands that make it sticky. Each flower has five green or purple-green leaf-like parts called sepals. They overlap and are about 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long.

The petals are the colorful parts of the flower. They are 16–22.5 mm (0.6–0.9 in) long. At their bottom, they join together to form a tube shape. The outside of this tube is a pale lilac color. The inside is white and has brown or purple spots. The petals and the ends of the tube are hairy on the outside. The inside of the tube is filled with soft, woolly hairs. There are four stamens, which are the parts that make pollen. They are completely hidden inside the petal tube.

Fruits

After flowering, the plant produces fruits. These fruits are dry and woody. They are oval-shaped and about 6.3–7 mm (0.25–0.28 in) long. They have a papery, hairy covering. The time when the plant flowers depends on its type, or "subspecies."

Plant Names and Types

The scientific name for this plant, Eremophila petrophila, was first officially described in 2007. This was done by a scientist named Robert Chinnock. The description was published in a book about Eremophila plants.

The second part of the name, petrophila, tells us something special about the plant. It comes from two old Greek words: pétra, meaning "rock" or "stone," and phílos, meaning "dear" or "beloved." So, petrophila means "rock-loving." This name was chosen because this plant likes to grow in rocky places.

There are two slightly different types of this plant, called subspecies:

• Eremophila petrophila subsp. petrophila: This type flowers from June to January. Its leaves are smooth (no hairs). Its branches have short, sticky hairs.
• Eremophila petrophila subsp. densa: This type flowers from July to September. When it's young, its branches and leaves are covered with long, sticky hairs. As it gets older, these hairs disappear, and the plant becomes smooth.

Where it Grows

The subspecies petrophila grows on hills and rocky slopes. You can find it from the Hamersley Range down to Waldburg Station. These areas are in the Gascoyne and Pilbara regions of Western Australia.

The subspecies densa is found in a smaller area. It grows between Pimbee and Towrana stations, near Gascoyne Junction. This area is in the Carnarvon, Gascoyne, and Murchison regions. It also grows on low, rocky hills.

Looking After the Plant

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife says that Eremophila petrophila as a whole is "not threatened." This means it's not in danger of disappearing.

However, one of its types, subspecies densa, is listed as "Priority Three." This means we don't know a lot about it, and it's only found in a few places. But it's not in immediate danger right now. Scientists keep an eye on plants like this to make sure they stay safe.