Felty-leaved eremophila facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Felty-leaved eremophila
E. caespitosa leaves and flowers
Scientific classification
Genus:	Eremophila (plant)
Species:	caespitosa

Eremophila caespitosa, also known as felty-leaved eremophila, is a flowering plant from the figwort family. It grows naturally only in a specific area in central Western Australia. This plant is a small shrub that grows in clumps. It has very hairy grey leaves and pretty lilac to purple flowers.

What Does Felty-leaved Eremophila Look Like?

Eremophila caespitosa is a small, neat shrub. Its branches spread out close to the ground. It usually grows about 10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 inches) tall and can spread up to 40 centimeters (16 inches) wide.

The leaves grow in clusters near the ends of its branches. They are mostly 6 to 14 millimeters (0.2 to 0.6 inches) long and 1 to 2 millimeters (0.04 to 0.08 inches) wide. The leaves are long and narrow with edges that curl under. They are covered in soft, thick hairs, making them look grey.

The Flowers

The flowers grow one by one where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower has a fuzzy stalk that is 2.5 to 5.5 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long. There are 5 fuzzy, long, green sepals (leaf-like parts under the petals) that are 9 to 12 millimeters (0.35 to 0.47 inches) long.

The petals are 16 to 22.5 millimeters (0.6 to 0.9 inches) long. They join together at the bottom to form a tube. The outside of the tube is lilac to purple, and the inside is white with light purple spots. There are some hairs on the outside of the tube and lots of fine, 'spidery' hairs inside. The 4 stamens (the parts that make pollen) are hidden inside the flower tube.

This plant usually flowers from June to October. After flowering, it produces dry, oval-shaped fruits that are 7 to 10.5 millimeters (0.28 to 0.41 inches) long.

How It Got Its Name

This plant was first officially named by Robert Chinnock in 2007. He wrote about it in a book called Eremophila and Allied Genera: A Monograph of the Plant Family Myoporaceae. The first example plant he studied was found about 72 kilometers (45 miles) southeast of Mount Vernon.

Its scientific name, caespitosa, comes from a Latin word meaning "growing in tufts". This describes how the plant grows in clumps or tufts.

Where Does Felty-leaved Eremophila Grow?

You can find this eremophila plant in areas between Mount Augustus, Newman, and Wiluna in Western Australia. It likes to grow on stony, flat ground.

Is It Endangered?

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife says that Eremophila caespitosa is "not threatened". This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.

Growing Felty-leaved Eremophila

The felty-leaved eremophila is a great small shrub to grow in a pot or a rock garden. People like its silvery leaves and lilac flowers. You can grow new plants from cuttings, or by grafting them onto other Myoporum plants.

This plant prefers full sun and soil that drains water well. It can handle dry conditions, but it does not like frost.

Images for kids

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  E. caespitosa growing near Newman

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  E. caespitosa showing its fuzzy sepals