Eremophila hillii, commonly known as Hill's emu bush,[2] is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the Nullarbor Plain in Australia. It is a dense shrub with many tangled branches, densely hairy stems, leaves and sepals and red or yellow petals.
| Hill's emu bush | |
|---|---|
| |
| Eremophila hillii in the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
| Genus: | Eremophila |
| Species: | E. hillii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Eremophila hillii | |
Description
editEremophila hillii is a dense, sometimes erect, others spreading shrub with many tangled branches and which grows to a height of less than 0.8 m (3 ft). Its branches are densely covered with white or pale grey branched hairs, at least when young but become glabrous as they age. The leaves are densely crowded near the tips of the branches and are covered with a dense layer of branched hairs when young, becoming glabrous as they age. They are mostly 8–18 mm (0.3–0.7 in) long, 4–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide, egg-shaped to almost circular and usually have a few rounded teeth on the margins.[2][3][4][5]
The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a densely hairy stalk 1–4 mm (0.04–0.2 in) long. There are 5 sepals, differing in size and from each other, linear to egg-shaped and mostly 4–16 mm (0.2–0.6 in) long. The petals are 20–35 mm (0.8–1 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petal tube is red or orange-red, sometimes yellow and both the inside and outside of the tube have scattered glandular hairs. The 4 stamens extend beyond the end of the petal tube. Flowering occurs from July to September and is followed by fruits which are dry, oval-shaped with a glabrous, papery covering and are 5.5–7.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long.[2][3][4][5]
Taxonomy and naming
editThe species was first formally described in 1967 by Elizabeth Anne Shaw and the description was published in Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.[6][4] The specific epithet (hillii) honours "Ronald Hill of the Adelaide Botanic Garden".[4]
Distribution and habitat
editE. hillii grows in stony clay and calcareous soils in isolated populations growing on the Nullarbor Plain in South Australia and Western Australia.[7][8]
Conservation status
editEremophila hillii is classified as "Priority Four" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife,[7] meaning that is rare or near threatened.[9]
Use in horticulture
editHill's emubush is a hardy and reliable shrub and some specimens have been in cultivation for up to 40 years. The bright red and orange-yellow forms make an attractive contrast when planted together. It can be propagated easily from cuttings and grown in a wide range of soils, including clay although it prefers a sunny aspect. It is both drought tolerant and frost resistant.[10]
References
edit- ^ "Eremophila hillii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ^ a b c Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 599–601. ISBN 9781877058165.
- ^ a b Brown, Andrew; Buirchell, Bevan (2011). A field guide to the eremophilas of Western Australia (1st ed.). Hamilton Hill, W.A.: Simon Nevill Publications. p. 145. ISBN 9780980348156.
- ^ a b c d Shaw, Elizabeth Anne (1967). "A new species of Eremophila from South Australia". Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. 91: 111–114. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
- ^ a b "Eremophila hillii". State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
- ^ "Eremophila hillii". APNI. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
- ^ a b "Eremophila hillii". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 337. ISBN 0646402439.
- ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
- ^ Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. pp. 108–110. ISBN 9781876473655.