Three new emu-bushes from Western Australia

In a paper published last week in the Western Australian Herbarium's science journal Nuytsia, taxonomists Andrew Brown and Rob Davis describe three new taxa (two species and a subspecies) of emu-bushes (Eremophila).

All three are restricted in range and poorly known, and hence have been conservation-listed in the state. None are known to occur in conservation reserves, highlighting the importance of their taxonomic recognition and conservation.

Eremophila species are of great interest for bioprospecting for potential new drugs and other pharmaceuticals. New species like these in the genus may result in significant new discoveries in the future.

Eremophila sericea, one of the three new species. Photo: (c) A.P. Brown.