Nuytsia
The journal of the Western Australian Herbarium

Eremaea is a genus of shrubs and small trees endemic in south-western Australia. It has an unusual distribution in that 15 of its 16 species occur on or very close to the coastal plain (Irwin and Darling Botanical Districts) and one species extends throughout much of the non-forested areas of the South West Botanical Province. The genus is a significant component of the shrub layer of several vegetation types. Eight new species, 5 subspecies, and 8 varieties are described (E. asterocarpa subsp. asterocarpa, E. asterocarpa subsp. histoclada, E. asterocarpa subsp. brachyclada, E. atala, E. hadra, E. beaufortioides var. beaufortioides, E. beaufortioides var. lachnosanthe, E. beaufortioides var. microphylla, E. blackwelliana, E. ebracteata var. ebracteata, E. ebracteata var. brachyphylla, E. x codonocarpa, E. dendroidea, E. ectadioclada, E. pauciflora var. pauciflora, E. pauciflora var. calyptra, E. pauciflora var. lonchophylla, E. x phoenicea, E. violacea subsp. violacea and E. violacea subsp. raphiophylla). Keys to and descriptions of taxa, and illustrations of most taxa are presented. An index to taxa is given on page 222.

A new species of Nemcia, N. effusa Crisp & Mollemans, is described from the north-west part of Lake Grace shire, south-west Western Australia. The species is quite distinct with no clear affinities. It is named for its habit with rigid, diffuse stems and branchlets. In some respects similar to N. stipularis (Meissner) Crisp, it differs in the leaves spreading widely and being broader(3-4 mm) and impressed-punctate below, and with stipules shorter (2-3 mm). It is also similar to N. punctata (Turcz.) Crisp in the leaves being impressed-punctate below, but differing in having conspicuous stipules and longer leaves (1-2.5 cm) that are spreading widely but scarcely recurved. Only two plants of N. effusa were found at the type locality, and the species was not observed elsewhere during surveys of remnant vegetation (by the second author) of c. 71,250 km² of the southern wheatbelt region of Western Australia. This suggests that N. effusa is neither widespread nor common.

The new species is described and illustrated with a line drawing. It has a very restricted distribution, occurring only on limestone, and is officially listed as endangered.

Eight new species and 8 new subspecies are described; 3 currently accepted subspecies are raised to specific rank; 1 species currently in synonymy is reinstated at specific rank. Keys are provided to enable separation from closely related species. An index to taxa is given on page 304.