| Eremophila anomala | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
| Genus: | Eremophila |
| Species: | E. anomala |
| Binomial name | |
| Eremophila anomala | |
Eremophila anomala, commonly known asParoo poverty bush, is a plant in the figwortfamily,Scrophulariaceae and isendemic to two small areas in centralWestern Australia. It occurs with other species ofEremophila growing in clayloam onbasalt outcrops nearParoo.
Eremophila anomala is a low shrub which grows to a height of about 0.4 m (1 ft) and has thin, tangled branches with scattered raised resin glands and hairs. The leaves are arranged alternately, mostly crowded at the ends of the branches and are 8–17 mm (0.3–0.7 in) long and 1–5 mm (0.04–0.2 in) wide. They are elliptic to egg-shaped and are mostlyglabrous except near the base and along the edges.[2][3]
The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on stalks 3–6.5 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long. There are 5 elliptic, greensepals covered are usually 14–22 mm (0.6–0.9 in) long and are covered with manyglandular and branched hairs. There are 5petals joined at their bases to form a tube. The petals are 18–26 mm (0.7–1 in) long and cream-coloured, with faint lilac spots inside the tube. The inside of the tube is hairy and the outside is covered with glandular hairs. There are fourstamens which are shorter than the tube. Flowering occurs between May and September and the fruit that follows is dry, woody, oval shaped and about 6–8.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long.[2][3]
The species was first formally described byRobert Chinnock in 2007 and the description was published inEremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae. Thetype specimen was collected by Chinnock about 14 kilometres (9 mi) north of Paroo station.[4] Thespecific epithet (anomala) is aLatin word meaning "anomalous" or "abnormal", referring to the fact that this species lacks the whitetomentum on vegetative parts characteristic ofsectionEriocalyx.[2][3][5]
Eremophila anomala is only known from two populations growing in a small area north of Paroo station in theMurchison biogeographic region. It grows inmulga woodland in association with other eremophilas in clay loam on basalt outcrops.[6][7]
Eremophila anomala is classified as "Priority One" by the Government of Western AustraliaDepartment of Parks and Wildlife[6] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk.[8]
