Eremophila praecox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eremophila praecox |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eremophila (plant)
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| Species: |
praecox
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Eremophila praecox is a pretty flowering plant that grows in Australia. It belongs to the figwort family, called Scrophulariaceae. This plant is special because it only grows naturally in Australia, meaning it is endemic there. It's a small shrub that looks a bit like a broom, with tiny leaves and lovely purple and white flowers.
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What Does Eremophila praecox Look Like?
Eremophila praecox is a shrub that grows like a broom. It can reach a height of about 0.3 to 1.5 metres (1 to 5 feet). Its branches have tiny, branched hairs, especially near the tips. They can also feel a bit sticky because of a natural resin covering.
Leaves and Stems
The leaves usually grow in pairs, opposite each other. They are long and thin, almost like tiny cylinders. Most leaves are about 5 to 11 millimetres (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long and about 1 millimetre (0.04 inches) wide. When they are young, they have a few hairs and feel sticky. But as they get older, they become smooth and lose their stickiness.
Flowers and Fruits
The flowers grow one by one, or sometimes in pairs, where the leaves join the stem. They sit on hairy stalks that are about 2 to 5 millimetres (0.08 to 0.2 inches) long. Each flower has five green to purplish-black, egg-shaped parts called sepals. These sepals are about 1.8 to 3.5 millimetres (0.07 to 0.14 inches) long and are also hairy.
The petals are about 9 to 14 millimetres (0.35 to 0.55 inches) long. They are joined at the bottom to form a tube shape. The outside of this tube is purple with white hints. The inside of the tube and the lower parts of the petals are white with purple spots. The outside of the petal tube has a few hairs, but the inside of the petals is smooth. The tube itself is full of long, soft hairs.
There are four stamens (the parts that produce pollen) that stick out a little from the end of the petal tube. This happens even when the flower is still a bud! Eremophila praecox flowers bloom from October to December. After flowering, it produces dry, woody fruits. These fruits are cone-shaped or oval, with a pointed end, and are about 3.5 to 5 millimetres (0.14 to 0.2 inches) long and hairy.
How Eremophila praecox Got Its Name
This plant was first officially described in 2007 by a scientist named Robert Chinnock. He wrote about it in his book, Eremophila and Allied Genera: A Monograph of the Plant Family Myoporaceae.
The second part of its scientific name, praecox, comes from a Latin word. It means "too early ripe," "premature," or "precocious." This name was chosen because the stamens (the pollen-producing parts) stick out from the flower buds very early, even before the flower fully opens!
Where Does Eremophila praecox Grow?
Eremophila praecox is found in a few specific places in Australia. In Western Australia, you can find it near towns like Widgemooltha, Coolgardie, and Kalgoorlie. It also grows in the western part of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.
This plant prefers to grow in red-brown sandy soil that is rich in loam. It often grows alongside other types of eremophila plants.
Is Eremophila praecox Endangered?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified E. praecox as "Priority One" flora. This means that the plant is only found in one or a few places. These locations could be at risk, so it's important to protect them to keep the plant safe.
Can You Grow Eremophila praecox in Your Garden?
This eremophila is a delicate and attractive shrub with lovely blue to purple flowers. You can grow new plants from cuttings (small pieces of the plant) or by grafting it onto a Myoporum rootstock (another plant's root system).
It can grow well in many different types of soil, even clay. It's a tough plant that can handle both frost and dry weather. It only needs water occasionally if there's a very long dry period.
