Eremaea purpurea

Eremaea purpurea is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with erect branches, small leaves and purple flowers in pairs on the ends of the branches. The fruits are woody, cup-shaped capsules which release their seeds when dry.

Eremaea purpurea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eremaea
Species:
E. purpurea
Binomial name
Eremaea purpurea
C.A.Gardner[1]
Synonyms

Melaleuca ostrina Craven & R.D.Edwards

Description

Eremaea purpurea is a shrub growing to a height of about 1.0 metre (3 ft). The branches point upwards and the young stems are densely covered with hair. The leaves are narrow egg-shaped, tapering to a point and are 2–4.5 millimetres (0.08–0.2 in) long, 2–2.5 millimetres (0.08–0.1 in) wide and sometimes have a single vein visible on the lower surface. There are a few long, soft hairs on the upper surface and edges of the leaves.[2]

The flowers are pink to deep pink and are borne usually in pairs on the ends of the branches. They have 5 sepals which are often hairy on the outside surface and 5 petals, 4.2–4.5 millimetres (0.17–0.18 in) long. The stamens, which give the flower its colour are arranged in 5 bundles, each containing 14 to 33 stamens. Flowering occurs from December to January and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules which are 5.4–6.5 millimetres (0.2–0.3 in) long.[2]

Taxonomy and naming

Eremaea purpurea was first formally described in 1964 by Charles Gardner in Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia.[1] The specific epithet (purpurea) is from the Latin purpureus meaning "purple".[3]

Distribution and habitat

Eremaea purpurea occurs in the Darling district in the Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions.[4] It grows in sandy soils, often on roadsides and in damp depressions.[5]

Conservation

Eremaea purpurea is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.[4]

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References
  1. "Eremaea purpurea". APNI. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  2. Hnatiuk, Roger J. (1998). "A revision of the genus Eremaea (Myrtaceae)" (PDF). Nuytsia. 9 (2): 197–200. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  3. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 643.
  4. "Eremaea purpurea". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  5. Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 363. ISBN 0646402439.
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