The varnish bush is a large, erect shrub 2 Ð 6 m tall with sticky, shiny, brown hairless branches,
and hairless to finely glandular-hairy leaves 5 Ð 10 cm long by 1 cm wide. The flowers are
tubular, about 2 cm long, and are solitary or sometimes in twos. Each flower is on a 1 cm long
stalk, which is enlarged beneath the flower. The calyx lobes are 7 mm long, greyish-blue or
reddish in colour and are strongly veined. The corolla is white to pale yellow with purple spots.
The stamens project beyond the floral tube. The ovary is hairy. Egg-shaped fruits are 5 – 7 mm
long, 4 mm wide and are hairy on the upper part (Brown et al. 1998). The varnish bush is
distinguished from Eremophila lucida (shining poverty bush) by its linear to lanceolate leaves,
prominently spotted flowers and large greyish-blue or reddish calyx lobes (Brown et al. 1998).
Varnish Bush |
Eremophila viscida
Status: Endangered on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Eremophila viscida
Fire Too frequent known High frequency of fires; effecting plants before they reach burning current maturity; may reduce the soil seedbank for this species leading to a continued decline (Phillimore et al. 2003).
If the frequency of fire is too low; a between fires gradual reduction in plant numbers is likely to occur due to senescence; resulting in a slow decline in area of occupancy and extent of occurrence.
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