Click image to enlarge
Eremophila glabra subsp. tomentosa - Tar Bush
Eremophila glabra is a prominent and widespread member of the Scrophulariaceae family, but is not usually found in the Esperance region, despite various forms commonly occurring throughout WA and all States except Tasmania. Being so widespread, there are many forms that have currently been divided into 9 subspecies, 7 of which are endemic to Western Australia, with subsp. glabra occurring Australia wide and subsp. murrayana endemic to the Murray district of SA, NSW and Victoria. However, there is a much larger number of undescribed subspecies that await further study.
Eremophila glabra subsp. tomentosa is recorded from a coastal strip mainly from south of Geraldton to south of Exmouth, plus widely spaced inland between the Wiluna and the Kalgoorlie districts, with odd collections from further east near the WA and SA boarder, also coastal on the Nullarbor. The above in two small colonies, were encountered around 4 km (2.5 miles) SW of Mt Newmont (large granite outcrop 150 km or 95 miles NE of Esperance) and almost 500 km (310 miles) south of its closest northern colony. Locally, the soil was a sandy loam possibly overlying limestone and a bushfire had passed through the area 2-3 years earlier.
This species despite its many forms is also similar to another common, widespread and highly variable species Eremophila decipiens. However these are easily separated by the pedicel (flower stalk), with E. decipiens being at least twice as long as its longest sepal and curved into an S shape, whilst with all forms of E. glabra the pedicel is straight and about the same length as the largest sepal.
Eremophila glabra subsp. tomentosa grows to 2 metres (6’-7’) and apart from the actual corolla (petals and floral tube), is thickly covered in soft matted white hairs, giving the shrub an attractive grey coloration that spectacularly contrasts with the bird attracting orange/red flowers. Flowering is recorded from April to October, but this would vary depending on local weather conditions.
