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Eremophila capricornica

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Eremophila capricornica

Priority One — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. capricornica
Binomial name
Eremophila capricornica

Eremophila capricornica is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small shrub with woolly branches, grey, hairy leaves and mauve to lilac-coloured flowers with hairy sepals.

Description

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Eremophila capricornica is a shrub growing to 50–75 cm (20–30 in) high and wide with densely woolly branches. The leaves are arranged alternately, clustered near the ends of the branches, grey, lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a woolly stalk 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long. There are 5 lance-shaped, dark green to grey, hairy sepals which are 6–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and 1.5–3 mm (0.06–0.1 in) wide. The petals are mauve to lilac-coloured, 15–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) long and joined at their lower end to form a flattened, bell-shaped tube which is mostly glabrous inside and out. The 4 stamens are enclosed by the petal tube. Flowering time is mainly from June to August.[2][3]

Taxonomy and naming

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Eremophila capricornica was first formally described by Bevan Buirchell and Andrew Brown in 2016 and the description was published in Nuytsia.[4][2] The specific epithet (capricornica) refers to the Tropic of Capricorn near which this species occurs.[2]

Distribution and habitat

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This eremophila is found between Newman and Jigalong in the Gascoyne biogeographic region growing in Acacia shrubland with a grassy understorey.[2][3][5]

Conservation status

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Eremophila capricornica has been classified as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife,[5] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Eremophila capricornica". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Buirchell, Bevan; Brown, Andrew P. (2016). "New species of Eremophila (Scrophulariaceae): thirteen geographically restricted species from Western Australia". Nuytsia. 27: 256–259.
  3. ^ 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. 297. ISBN 9780980348156.
  4. ^ "Eremophila capricornica". APNI. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Eremophila capricornica". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  6. ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 14 April 2017.