Eremophila glabra subsp. carnosa

Eremophila glabra subsp. carnosa
E. glabra carnosa growing in Port Gregory
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Scrophulariaceae
Genus:	Eremophila
Species:	E. glabra
Subspecies:	E. g. subsp. carnosa
Trinomial name
Eremophila glabra subsp. carnosa Chinnock

Eremophila glabra subsp. carnosa is a plant in the family Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is similar to other shrubs in the species Eremophila glabra but is distinguished from them mainly by its narrow elliptic to lance-shaped leaves and by the type and arrangement of hairs on its leaves and branches. It is found in coastal areas between Leeman and Gregory.

Description

Eremophila glabra subsp. carnosa is a spreading shrub growing to 0.3–1 metre (1–3 ft) high. The leaves are bright green, slightly fleshy, well-spaced along the branches, lance-shaped, 38–53 millimetres (1–2 in) long and 4–8 millimetres (0.2–0.3 in) wide.^[1][2]

The flowers occur singly in the leaf axils on flower stalks 6–10 millimetres (0.2–0.4 in) long. There are 5 overlapping, thick and fleshy sepals which are lance-shaped, 5–7 millimetres (0.2–0.3 in) long and 1–3 millimetres (0.04–0.1 in) wide. The 5 petals form a tube 20–25 millimetres (0.8–1 in) long. The lowest petal lobe is narrower that the rest and is turned back below the flower. Flowering occurs from May to January and is followed by fruit which are oval to almost spherical and 6–7 millimetres (0.2–0.3 in) long.^[1][2]

Taxonomy and naming

Eremophila glabra subsp. carnosa was first described in 2007 by Robert Chinnock in 2007.^[1][3]

Distribution and habitat

Eremophila glabra subsp. carnosa occurs in coastal areas between Gregory and Leeman where it grows in sand near saline flats.^[1][2][4]

References