Eremophila tenella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eremophila tenella |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eremophila (plant)
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| Species: |
tenella
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Eremophila tenella is a cool flowering plant that belongs to the figwort family. It's special because it's only found in Western Australia, making it endemic to that area. This plant is a tall, thin shrub with branches that hang down. Its branches and leaves are covered in tiny, soft, yellowish-grey hairs. When it's a bud, it looks yellowish, but then it opens up to show pretty white or light purple flowers.
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What Does Eremophila tenella Look Like?
Eremophila tenella is a tall, thin shrub that can grow anywhere from 1 to 3 meters (about 3 to 10 feet) high. Its branches, leaves, and other green parts are covered in tiny, yellowish-grey hairs that look like little stars. These hairs are so fine, it's hard to see them individually!
The branches are usually less than 1 millimeter (about 0.04 inches) thick. They are flexible and a bit flat near their tips, which makes them droop downwards. The leaves are spread out along the branches, one after another. They are long and thin, shaped like a spear or a narrow oval, about 14 to 25 millimeters (0.5 to 1 inch) long and 1 to 2 millimeters (0.04 to 0.08 inches) wide.
The Flowers of Eremophila tenella
The flowers grow either alone or in pairs where the leaves meet the stem. They sit on straight, hairy stalks that are usually 10 to 15 millimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) long. Each flower has 5 spear-shaped sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the bud. These sepals are 5 to 10 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long and are very hairy, especially on the inside.
When the flowers are still buds, they are yellowish. But once they open, their petals are white or a soft lilac (light purple) color. The petals are 12 to 18 millimeters (0.5 to 0.7 inches) long and are joined together at the bottom to form a tube shape. The outside of this petal tube is mostly smooth, but the tips of the petals are hairy on the outside and smooth on the inside. The inside of the tube is full of long, soft hairs.
Inside the flower tube, there are 4 stamens (the parts that produce pollen), but they are completely hidden inside the tube. This plant usually flowers between August and September. After the flowers, it produces dry, woody, oval-shaped fruits that are about 6.5 to 8 millimeters (0.25 to 0.3 inches) long and have a papery covering.
How Was Eremophila tenella Named?
This plant was first officially described by a scientist named Robert Chinnock in 2007. He published his description in a book called Eremophila and Allied Genera: A Monograph of the Plant Family Myoporaceae.
The second part of its scientific name, tenella, comes from a Latin word that means "soft" or "delicate." This name was chosen because of the plant's thin, flexible branches.
Where Does Eremophila tenella Live?
This specific Eremophila plant is quite common in the Paterson Range area, close to a place called Christmas Pool. You can often spot it growing out of the grassland on rocky hillsides. It's found about 20 kilometers (12 miles) southwest of Telfer, in a desert area known as the Little Sandy Desert.
Is Eremophila tenella Protected?
Yes, Eremophila tenella is considered a "Priority One" plant by the Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife. This means that scientists only know about it growing in one or a few places. Because it's found in so few spots, it could be at risk, so it's important to protect these areas.
Growing Eremophila tenella in Gardens
This Eremophila is quite new to gardening, so people are still learning the best ways to grow it. It can be grown by joining a piece of it onto the rootstock of another plant called Myoporum.
If you want to grow it, mature plants need soil that drains water well and a sunny spot. However, it has been hard to grow this plant in the southern parts of Australia. It's also known to be easily damaged by frost, so it needs a warm environment.
