Eremaea blackwelliana
# Eremaea blackwelliana

Eremaea blackwelliana is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with soft, pointed, non-prickly leaves, orange flowers in spring and cup shaped to almost spherical woody fruits. Flowers appear singly on the ends of short side branches formed in the previous year.

## Description

Eremaea blackwelliana is a shrub with spreading branches, growing to about 3 metres (10 ft) high and wide. The leaves are 8.8–9.7 millimetres (0.3–0.4 in) long, 0.6–0.9 millimetres (0.02–0.04 in) wide, linear, pointed but not sharp and are thickened along the mid-line.

The flowers are orange-coloured and occur singly on the end of branches formed the previous year. The outer surface of the flower cup (the hypanthium) is densely hairy. There are 5 petals 3.2–4.5 millimetres (0.1–0.2 in) long. The stamens, which give the flower its colour, are arranged in 5 bundles, each containing 20 to 26 stamens. Flowering occurs from October to November and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules. The capsules are more or less cup-shaped to spherical, smooth and 7.5–8.1 millimetres (0.30–0.32 in) long.

## Taxonomy and naming

Eremaea blackwelliana was first formally described in 1993 by Roger Hnatiuk in Nuytsia. The specific epithet (blackwelliana) honours Marion Blackwell, a landscape designer who encouraged the cultivation of Australian native plants.

## Distribution and habitat

Eremaea blackwelliana is found in the Avon district in the Avon Wheatbelt and Jarrah Forest biogeographic regions. It grows in sand in gently sloping depressions.

## Conservation

Eremaea blackwelliana is listed as "Priority 4" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife meaning that it is rare or near threatened.

