Eremophila succinea facts for kids
Eremophila succinea is a special flowering plant that belongs to the figwort family, called Scrophulariaceae. You can only find it in Western Australia, which means it's endemic there. This plant is a tall, broom-shaped shrub with sticky, narrow leaves that have a hooked tip. Its flowers have sticky, narrow sepals and soft, pale purple or mauve petals.
Quick facts for kids Eremophila succinea |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eremophila (plant)
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| Species: |
succinea
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Contents
What Does Eremophila succinea Look Like?
Eremophila succinea is a shrub that stands tall and looks a bit like a broom. It can grow to be about 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) high. Its branches are yellowish-brown and have bumpy, sticky spots that look like amber-colored resin.
Leaves and Their Unique Features
The leaves of this plant grow one after another along the branches. They are long and thin, almost like a cylinder, or sometimes triangular in shape. Each leaf has a hooked tip and is about 15 to 31 millimeters (0.6 to 1.2 inches) long and 1 to 2 millimeters (0.04 to 0.08 inches) wide. They are smooth and have tiny wrinkles, small sticky glands, and often a few bumpy resin spots near their base.
Flowers: Colors and Structure
The flowers grow either alone or in pairs where the leaves meet the stem. They sit on sticky, shiny stalks that are about 4 to 9 millimeters (0.16 to 0.35 inches) long. Each flower has five green, pinkish, or purple sepals. These sepals are sticky, shiny, and shaped like a spear, with a pointed tip. They are hairy on the inside and smooth on the outside, measuring about 5 to 8.5 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long.
The petals are 10 to 16 millimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) long and are joined together at the bottom to form a tube. The outside of this petal tube is pale purple to mauve, while the inside is white with faint purple spots. Both the petal tube and its tips are hairy on the outside. The inside of the tube and the lower petal tip are also very hairy. Inside the petal tube, there are four stamens, which are completely hidden.
When Does It Flower and What About the Fruits?
Eremophila succinea usually blooms from August to September. After the flowers, the plant produces fruits. These fruits are broadly oval-shaped, about 4.5 to 5.5 millimeters (0.18 to 0.22 inches) long, and have a hard, brittle, hairy covering.
How Was This Plant Named?
This plant was officially described for the first time in 2007 by a scientist named Robert Chinnock. He published its description in a book called Eremophila and Allied Genera: A Monograph of the Plant Family Myoporaceae.
Meaning of the Name succinea
The second part of its scientific name, succinea, comes from a Latin word that means 'amber-colored'. This name was chosen because of the amber-colored resin spots found on the branches of this plant.
Where Does Eremophila succinea Grow?
Eremophila succinea prefers to grow in sandy clay soil. You can find it in different places between Norseman, Peak Charles, and Lake King in Western Australia. These areas are part of the Coolgardie and Mallee biogeographic regions.
Is Eremophila succinea Protected?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified this Eremophila as "Priority Three". This means that not much is known about it, and it's only found in a few locations. However, it's not currently in immediate danger of disappearing.
Using Eremophila succinea in Gardens
This tall, broom-shaped shrub is great for filling narrow spaces in a garden. It's a tough plant that often produces many beautiful blue flowers.
Growing Tips for Gardeners
It can be tricky to grow new plants from cuttings of Eremophila succinea. However, it's fairly easy to graft it onto Myoporum plants, which act as the rootstock. This plant likes soil that drains well and prefers full sun or partial shade. Once it's grown, it can handle very dry conditions and even frost.
