Coccid emubush

Description

Eremophila gibbifolia is a shrub usually growing to a height of less than 0.9 m (3 ft) with many interlacing, hairy green branches. The leaves are arranged alternately, mostly 1.5–5 mm (0.06–0.2 in) long, 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) wide, thicky, fleshy, glabrous and oblong to heart-shaped. The leaves are more or less pressed against the stem with one or two pairs of large warty outgrowths and edges that are uneven due to large numbers of smaller raised lumps. The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a stalk less than 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long. There are 5 narrow, tapering, green sepals which are 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long. The petals are 7–10.5 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and joined at their lower end to form a tube. The tube is a shade of lilac to purple with the inside of the petal lobes lilac while the inside of the tube is white spotted with mauve or brown. The outside of the petal tube and lobes are glabrous except for the inside surface of the lower lobe which has long hairs along its centre line and the inside of the tube which is filled with long hairs. Two stamens are enclosed in the petal tube while the other 2 extend slightly beyond its end. The fruits are more or less cylindrical in shape, slightly flattened and 2–3.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long.