Eremophila spongiocarpa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eremophila spongiocarpa |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eremophila (plant)
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| Species: |
spongiocarpa
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The Eremophila spongiocarpa is a special flowering plant found only in Western Australia. It belongs to the figwort family, which is called Scrophulariaceae. This plant is a small, bushy shrub with lots of tangled branches. It has flat, juicy leaves and pretty creamy-white flowers. Look closely, and you'll see red spots inside the flowers!
What it Looks Like
Eremophila spongiocarpa is a neat, bushy shrub. It usually grows to be about 0.5 to 1 meter (about 1.5 to 3 feet) tall. Its branches are stiff and can be a bit spiky when they are young. As the plant gets older, the branches become smooth.
- Leaves: The leaves grow one after another along the branches. They are flat, a bit thick and juicy, and shaped like a narrow spear. Each leaf is usually about 12 to 24 millimeters (about half an inch to one inch) long. They are covered with a layer of fine hairs, making them feel soft.
- Flowers: The flowers grow by themselves where the leaves meet the stem. They sit on hairy stalks. Each flower has five green, overlapping parts called sepals, which are like little protective leaves. The main part of the flower, the petals, are joined together at the bottom to form a tube. This tube is white or creamy-white and has cool red spots inside! The outside of the flower tube is very hairy, but the inside is mostly smooth.
- Stamens: Inside the flower, there are four stamens (the parts that make pollen). Two of these stamens stick out past the end of the flower tube, while the other two stay hidden inside.
- Flowering Time: This plant mostly blooms between June and August.
- Fruits: After the flowers, the plant grows round, dry fruits. These fruits are about 8 to 10 millimeters (about a third of an inch) wide. They are very hairy and have a spongy covering. This spongy covering is actually how the plant got its name!
How it Got its Name
The Eremophila spongiocarpa was officially described in 2007 by a scientist named Robert Chinnock. He wrote about it in a book about plants.
The second part of its name, spongiocarpa, comes from Latin words. "Spongio" means 'spongy', and "carpa" means 'fruit'. So, the name literally means 'spongy fruit', which perfectly describes its unique fruit!
Where it Lives
This special eremophila plant is only found in a small area of Western Australia. It grows near a big marsh that fills with water during certain seasons. This area is located northwest of a town called Newman, in a region known as the Pilbara.
Protecting the Plant
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified Eremophila spongiocarpa as "Priority One". This means it's a very important plant to protect!
Being "Priority One" means that this plant is known from only a few places. These places could be at risk, so it's extra important to make sure we look after them. Protecting these areas helps keep this unique plant safe for the future.
