PlantNET Home DONATE TODAY | PlantNET Home | Search NSW Flora | Contact Us  
FloraOnline
Introduction
Plant Name Search
Index Search
Spatial Search
Identification Keys
Classification
Glossary
WeedAlert
Telopea Journal
Other Data Sources
NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE Printable Page

Genus Eremophila Family Scrophulariaceae
Common Name: Emu Bushes, Poverty Bushes, Fuchsia Bushes

Description: Prostrate to erect shrubs to small trees.

Leaves mostly alternate, sometimes oppostie or whorled, sessile or petiolate; margins entire, serrate or rarely deeply lobed.

Flowers pollinated by birds or insects, caducous, 1–8 per axil, sessile or petiolate, developing in succession. Sepals 5, occasionally 4. Corolla 2-lipped, tubular or campanulate, often curved. Stamen 4 (5) included or exserted. Ovary 2-locular becoming 4-locular by development of 2 placental septa.

Fruits mostly dry or drupaceous and fleshy, cylindrical, top-shaped to globular; exocarp papery often separating from endocarp.


Distribution and occurrence: A genus of 215 species widespread throughout Australia with the majority in Western Australia, absent from Tasmania and one species introduced in New Zealand.

Arid areas.

Text by Louisa Murray
Taxon concept: Chinnock, R.J. (2007) Eremophilas and allied genera ; a monograph of Myoporaceae

Taxa not yet included in identification key
Eremophila crassifolia

 Key to the species 
1Leaves opposite2
Leaves alternate3
2Branches, leaves, calyx and outside of corolla scalyEremophila scoparia
Branches, leaves and calyx covered in appressed hairs, outside of corolla glabrous
                       Back to 1
Eremophila oppositifolia
3Branches and leaves glabrous4
Branches and leaves hairy
                       Back to 1
12
4Corolla almost actinomorphic; stamens 5, anthers sagittateEremophila deserti
Corolla zygomorphic; stamens 4, anthers when dehisced reniform
                       Back to 3
5
5Stamens enclosed or extending just beyond the throat6
Stamens exserted, close together
                       Back to 4
11
6Sepals 4; corolla lobes acuteEremophila divaricata
Sepals 5; corolla lobes obtuse
                       Back to 5
7
7Shrubs with prostrate branches; leaves usually with prominent recurved teeth towards the base; fruit fleshy, white to reddish purpleEremophila debilis
Shrubs with erect or spreading branches; leaves lacking prominent recurved teeth; fruit dry
                       Back to 6
8
8Sepals imbricate, ovate, apex acute to attenuate, green9
Sepals valvate, obovate to oblanceolate, rarely ovate, apex obtuse, cream, pinkish purple to brownish
                       Back to 7
10
9Leaves 4.5–14 mm wide, corolla cream tinged pink or brown above or rarely carmine; erect shrubs or small treesEremophila bignoniiflora
Leaves 1–3.5 mm wide, corolla white; divaricate shrubs
                       Back to 8
Eremophila polyclada
10Small trees with scaly bark or shrub with a few main stems; flowers 2 or 3 per axil; sepals and corolla white to cream or rarely pinkishEremophila mitchellii
Multistemmed shrubs or rarely forming a single trunk, bark deeply fissured on old plants; flowers 1 per axil; sepals and corolla usually purplish pink
                       Back to 8
Eremophila sturtii
11Leaves lanceolate to oblanceolate; corolla unspotted, lobe of lower lip acute; sepals acuteEremophila glabra
Leaves linear to more or less terete; corolla spotted, rarely unspotted, lobe of lower lip truncate; sepals obtuse
                       Back to 5
Eremophila alternifolia
12Hairs of branches and leaves simple13
Hairs of branches and leaves branched to dendritic
                       Back to 3
19
13Flowers lilac to purple; stamens enclosed14
Flowers cream, red to yellow; stamens exserted
                       Back to 12
16
14Hairs on branches, leaves and calyces glandularEremophila goodwinii
Hairs on branches, leaves and calyces non-glandular
                       Back to 13
15
15Sepals imbricate, unequal, ovate to lanceolate, margins of leaves entireEremophila freelingii
Sepals valvate, subequal, linear-triangular to linear-lanceolate; margins of leaves toothed or entire
                       Back to 14
Eremophila gilesii
16Corolla lobes obtuse17
corolla lobes acute
                       Back to 13
18
17Sepals separated at base, spathulate to oblanceolate cream to pinkEremophila oppositifolia
Sepals imbricate or valvate, ovate to triangular, green
                       Back to 16
Eremophila longifolia
18Sepals more than 10 mm long, enlarging after flowering, corolla red, yellow inside, unspottedEremophila duttonii
Sepals less than 10 mm long, not enlarging, corolla variable in colour but not as above, usually spotted
                       Back to 16
Eremophila maculata
19Corolla lilac, pinkish lilac or mauve; anthers enclosed20
Corolla red to yellow, or greenish brown; anthers exserted
                       Back to 12
21
20Leaves completely covered in a dense tomentum; corolla lobes obtuse; sepals 5Eremophila bowmanii
Leaves sparsely stellate-pubescent or finely glandular-pubescent; corolla lobes acute; sepals 4
                       Back to 19
Eremophila divaricata
21Sepals obovate to oblanceolate, obtuse; corolla greenish brown to brownish yellowEremophila serrulata
Sepals triangular, ovate to lanceolate, acute; corolla red to yellow
                       Back to 19
22
22Sepals valvate; fruit conicalEremophila latrobei
Sepals imbricate; fruit ovoid to subglobose
                       Back to 21
Eremophila glabra

  Privacy | Copyright | Disclaimer | About PlantNET | Cite PlantNET