Friday, April 4, 2014

Eremophila debilis

Eremophila debilis

Family - Myoporaceae

Common name - Winter Apple

Flowers and fruit - I have only seen this plant with white flowers, but PlantNet records them also as mauve. 1 or 2 flowers are borne in leaf axils on short stalks. Calyx has long lobes. Fruit is ovoid and ripening to pink or purplish. Flowering period is spring and summer.

Leaves and stems - Eremophila debilis has prostrate stems up to 1m long spreading from a thick rootstock. Leaves are alternate, 3 to 6cm long, and margins often have scattered 'teeth'.

Habit and habitat - Eremophila debilis is a hairless, prostrate plant often forming large, dense mats. It grows in box and White Cypress (Callitris glaucophylla) communities on a variety of soils. I have noticed that if there is one Eremophila debilis plant, there are generally several scattered over a small area.

Notice the long lobes of the calyx of Eremophila debilis

Fruit of the Winter Apple. Notice leaves have a few marginal 'teeth'

And notice that the leaves on this plant have entire margins without teeth

Prostrate, spreading habit of Eremophila debilis