Plants of
South Australia
Eremophila scoparia
Scrophulariaceae
Silvery Emubush,
Broom Emubush
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Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.
Least concern
Near threatened
Rare
Vulnerable
Endangered
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Extinct
Data deficient
Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
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Botanical art

Kath Alcock paintings: 2

Prior names

Pholidia scoparia

Common names

Silvery Emubush

Broom Emubush

Etymology

Eremophila from the Greek 'eremophiles' meaning loving solitude or desert; alluding to the habitat. Scoparia from the Latin 'scoparius' meaning broom-like; alluding to the species habit.

Distribution and status

Found mainly in the central part of South Australia, growing in mallee communities on sandy red earths. Also found in Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. Native. Common in South Australia. Rare in Victoria. Uncommon in New South Wales. Common in Western Australia.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Nullarbor, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray
NRM regions: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, Alinytjara Wilurara, Eyre Peninsula, Northern and Yorke, South Australian Arid Lands, South Australian Murray-Darling Basin
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Broom-like shrub to 3 m tall, with branches, leaves, pedicels and outside surface of sepals silvery-scaly hairs. Leaves opposite, linear-subterete, to 29 mm long and 2.4 mm wide. Flowers 1 or 2 per axil, tubular, lilac to white, tube white, blue-spotted. Flowering between August and October. Fruits are brown conical fruit to 5 mm long and 3.5 mm wide, dry, woody and scaly. Seed embryo type is linear fully developed.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between November and February. Collect mature fruits when skin begins to crinkle, either from the tree directly or off the ground beneath it. Leave the fruits in a tray to dry for 1-2 weeks. No cleaning is required if only fruits are collected. Seeds can be stored as fruit with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place.

Seeds stored:
  Hide
LocationNo. of seeds
(weight grams)		Number
of plants		Date
collected		Collection number
Collection location		Date
stored		% ViabilityStorage
temperature
 
MSB
2,700		5023-Apr-2008TST369
Eyre Peninsula		30%
Location: BGA — the seeds are stored at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, MSB — the seeds are stored at the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew, England.
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.
We acknowledge the contributions of the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre, the Botanic Gardens of South Australia, and the Department for Environment and Water.