Showy eremophila facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Showy eremophila |
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| E. racemosa growing at Cuyamaca College, El Cajon, California | |
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Eremophila (plant)
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racemosa
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The Eremophila racemosa, also called the showy eremophila, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the figwort family. This plant grows naturally only in Western Australia. It is a shrub that stands tall. Its leaves are smooth, and it has small, green parts called sepals. The flowers of this plant are very special. They come in many colors and change their look as they get older.
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What Does Showy Eremophila Look Like?
The showy eremophila is a shrub that stands upright. It can grow to be about 0.3 to 1.6 meters (1 to 5 feet) tall. Most of its branches and leaves are smooth, meaning they have no hairs. The leaves are placed one after another along the branches. They are shaped like a narrow spear, getting thinner at the bottom. Each leaf is usually 18 to 43 millimeters (0.7 to 1.7 inches) long. They are also 2 to 6 millimeters (0.08 to 0.24 inches) wide. Sometimes, a few tiny hairs are pressed flat against the base of the leaf.
The Unique Flowers of Eremophila racemosa
The flowers grow one by one where a leaf meets the stem. They grow on smooth stalks that are 15 to 20 millimeters (0.6 to 0.8 inches) long. Sometimes, these stalks are shaped like an "S." Each flower has 5 green, egg-shaped sepals. These sepals are pointed at the end and are 5 to 7 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long. They are smooth on the outside but have hairs on the inside.
The petals of the flower are 15 to 22 millimeters (0.6 to 0.9 inches) long. They are joined together at their bottom to form a tube. When the flower buds are new, they are orange on top and yellowish below. As the flower opens, it turns red. The inside of the petal tube is usually a lighter color. Some flowers might start as pinkish or pale yellow buds. These then turn a light cream color when they open. You might also see spots on the flowers. Some rare ones are even pure white.
The petal tube and its parts are smooth. However, there are long white hairs at the base of the petal parts and inside the tube. The flower has 4 stamens, which are the parts that hold pollen. These stamens stick out beyond the petal tube when the flower is new. But they get shorter as the flower gets older.
When Does Eremophila racemosa Bloom?
Showy eremophila flowers from March all the way to December. After the flowers, fruits grow. These fruits are soft and juicy at first. Then they dry out and become almost round. They are 9 to 13 millimeters (0.35 to 0.51 inches) long. The fruits have a whitish-grey, spotted, papery covering.
How Showy Eremophila Got Its Name
This plant was first officially described in 1838. A botanist named Stephan Endlicher gave it the name Stenochilus racemosus. The first plant sample was collected by John Septimus Roe in Western Australia in December 1836. Later, in 1859, another botanist, Ferdinand von Mueller, moved the plant to the Eremophila group. This change was written about in a science paper. For a long time, no one found any more of these plants until 1978. When new plants were found, Robert Chinnock named them Eremophila bicolor. He did not know that the plant had already been described over 100 years earlier!
The second part of the plant's name, racemosa, comes from a Latin word. It means "full of clusters."
Where Does Showy Eremophila Live?
Showy eremophila grows in rich, loamy soils. These soils are found on rolling plains in a dry area of Western Australia. This area is north of Ravensthorpe, between Hyden and Norseman. It lives in specific natural regions like the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, and Mallee.
For a long time, only small groups of these plants were known. They were often found in places that had been disturbed, like along roadsides. But after big bushfires in 1992, something amazing happened. Thousands of these plants were discovered growing in new populations!
Protecting Showy Eremophila
The Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife has a special list for rare plants. Showy eremophila is on this list as "Priority Four." This means it is rare or almost threatened. It is important to protect these plants so they can continue to grow in the wild.
Growing Showy Eremophila in Gardens
Showy eremophila is quite popular for growing in gardens. Many people grow it, especially in places like California in the United States. It grows quickly and produces many flowers that attract birds in the spring. However, these plants usually live for only about 8 to 10 years.
How to Care for Showy Eremophila
This plant is usually grown from cuttings. This means a piece of the plant is cut off and put in soil to grow new roots. It only takes a few weeks for the roots to grow. Showy eremophila likes soil that drains water well and a sunny spot. Once the plants are grown, they only need water sometimes during long dry periods. This plant can handle high humidity better than many other plants in its family. It can also survive very cold frosts. But temperatures below -6°C (21°F) might harm its new leaves. Strong winds can also damage the plant, so it might need some support.
