Eremophila tetraptera facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eremophila tetraptera
Scientific classification
Genus:	Eremophila (plant)
Species:	tetraptera

Eremophila tetraptera is a cool flowering plant that belongs to the figwort family. You can only find it growing naturally in Queensland, Australia. It's a shrub or a small tree. It has narrow, spear-shaped leaves that often grow close together on short side branches. Its flowers are red, and its fruits are really unique! They have four wings, making them look a bit like the fruits of "hop bushes."

What Does Eremophila tetraptera Look Like?

Eremophila tetraptera is a rounded shrub or a small tree. It usually grows to be about 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) tall. Its branches are smooth and have a light brown, cork-like feel. When the branches and leaves are young, they can feel a bit sticky because of a natural substance called resin.

The leaves are a dull green color. They grow one after another along the branches. You might also see them grouped together near the ends of short side branches. The leaves are thick and a bit fleshy. They are shaped like a line or a spear, usually about 35 to 65 millimeters (1.4 to 2.6 inches) long and 4 to 9 millimeters (0.16 to 0.35 inches) wide.

Flowers and Fruit

The flowers grow one by one where the leaves meet the stem. They are on S-shaped stalks that are a bit hairy, about 10 to 18 millimeters (0.4 to 0.7 inches) long. Each flower has 5 spreading, spear-shaped or egg-shaped sepals. These are the small leaf-like parts that protect the flower bud. They are 4 to 8 millimeters (0.16 to 0.31 inches) long and usually smooth.

The petals are 20 to 28 millimeters (0.8 to 1.1 inches) long. They join together at the bottom to form a tube. The outside of this tube is red to reddish-orange. The inside is orange to yellowish. The lowest petal has red spots. The outside of the petals is smooth, but the inside has tiny glandular hairs. The four stamens (the parts that produce pollen) stick out beyond the end of the petal tube.

This plant mainly flowers in June and July. After flowering, it produces egg-shaped fruits. These fruits are 10 to 15 millimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) long and have four noticeable wings.

How Was This Plant Named?

This plant was first officially described in 1944 by a scientist named Cyril Tenison White. He published his description in a scientific paper called Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland.

The plant's special name, tetraptera, comes from two old Ancient Greek words. Téttares means "four," and pterón means "wing" or "feather." This name perfectly describes the plant's unique four-winged fruit!

Where Does Eremophila tetraptera Grow?

You can find Eremophila tetraptera growing in small groups. It likes to grow on slopes and along natural water channels. It prefers powdery clay soils, often near limestone hills. Some of these plant groups are found in the Diamantina River area, including parts of the Diamantina National Park.

Is Eremophila tetraptera Protected?

Eremophila tetraptera was once listed as "Vulnerable" by the Australian Government. This meant it was at risk of becoming extinct. However, it was removed from this list in 2013. Even so, it is still classified as "vulnerable" under Queensland's Nature Conservation Act (1992). This means it still needs protection in Queensland.

Growing Eremophila tetraptera in Your Garden

Even though this shrub can handle dry conditions, it will produce lots of beautiful reddish-orange flowers if it gets enough water. Its flowers attract birds that feed on nectar. The red, four-winged fruits are also a cool feature!

You can grow this plant from cuttings. It grows well in many different types of soil. It likes full sun or a bit of shade. It only needs water occasionally during long dry periods. It usually doesn't get too much damage from frost.