Slender-flowered eremophila facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Slender-flowered eremophila |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eremophila (plant)
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| Species: |
graciliflora
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Eremophila graciliflora, also called the slender-flowered eremophila, is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the figwort family, called Scrophulariaceae. This plant is only found in Western Australia, which means it is endemic there.
This plant is a shrub with long, narrow leaves and pretty red flowers. It's very rare! Scientists only know about it from one plant sample collected over 150 years ago. This sample was found by Augustus Oldfield and is kept at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne. No living slender-flowered eremophila has been seen since then.
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What Does the Slender-Flowered Eremophila Look Like?
The slender-flowered eremophila is a shrub that can grow up to 2–3 metres (7–10 ft) tall. Its branches look a bit lumpy because of where the leaves used to be. They are also covered in tiny, sticky hairs.
The leaves grow one after another along the stems. They are about 45–70 mm (2–3 in) long and 3.4–4.2 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. They are narrow and shaped like a spear, with a few sticky hairs on them.
Flowers of This Rare Plant
The flowers grow one by one where the leaves join the stem. Each flower has a straight, hairy stalk about 9–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long. There are five small, narrow, triangular parts called sepals. These sepals are about 5.5–6.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and are hairy inside and out.
The red petals are about 20 mm (0.8 in) long. They join together at the bottom to form a tube shape. This tube is hairy on the outside, but smooth inside. The four parts that make pollen, called stamens, are hidden inside this tube. This plant usually flowers in September. However, no one has ever seen its fruits.
How Scientists Name and Classify This Plant
Scientists have a special way to name and group plants, which is called taxonomy. The slender-flowered eremophila was first officially described by a scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller in 1859. He wrote about it in a book called Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae.
The first plant sample, known as the "type specimen," was found by Augustus Oldfield. He found it near the Murchison River in a place called "Yattoo." However, no one has been able to find the exact "Yattoo" location since then.
The plant's scientific name, graciliflora, tells us something about it. It comes from two Latin words: gracilis, which means "slender," and flos, which means "flower." So, graciliflora means "slender-flowered," describing its thin flower tube.
Where Does the Slender-Flowered Eremophila Live?
Since the exact place "Yattoo" has not been found, scientists don't know much about where this plant grows naturally. They also don't have much information about its ecology, which is how it lives and interacts with its environment.
Protecting the Slender-Flowered Eremophila
The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife has given the slender-flowered eremophila a special status. It is classified as "Priority One." This means that the plant is known from only one or a few places. These places might be at risk, so it's very important to protect this rare plant.
