Eremophila obovata

Description

Eremophila obovata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a low, compact shrub with lilac to purple flowers growing mainly in the Northern Territory and Queensland but also Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales.Eremophila obovata is a compact shrub growing to a height of between 20 and 50 cm (8 and 20 in) with many branches arising from ground level. The branches are hairy with a mixture of grey, matted hairs and glandular hairs. The leaves are fan-shaped, spoon-shaped or egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 4–28 mm (0.2–1 in) long, 2–11 mm (0.08–0.4 in) wide and may be hairy or glabrous.The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils on a stalk 3.5–9 mm (0.1–0.4 in) long. There are 5 green, lance-shaped or triangular sepals which are mostly 5.5–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) long. The petals are 16–24 mm (0.6–0.9 in) long and joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petal tube is lilac-coloured or purple on the outside and white with purple spots or streaks inside. The outside of the petal tube and the lobes may be glabrous or hairy but the inside of the lobes is glabrous while the inside of the tube is filled with woolly hairs. The 4 stamens are fully enclosed in the petal tube. Flowering occurs mainly from June to October and is followed by fruits which are oval to almost spherical with a pale yellow, papery covering and are 6.5–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long.