Eremophilas vary in size and habit from low, prostrate shrubs such as E. serpens to small trees in the case of E. bignoniiflora.

The most common flower colours are red, purple, lilac and mauve but others are white and even green.

The fruits contain from 2 to 12 seeds and may lie dormant in the ground for many years until disturbed by fire, heavy rainfall and sometimes by human activity such as roadworks.

[8] The Victorian government botanist, Ferdinand von Mueller was the most influential early naturalist to take an interest in the genus and described 47 species, many of which were collected during expeditions to remote areas of Australia.

Additionally, the study provides strong evidence that the entire genus is paraphyletic, with all other genera of tribe Myoporeae nested within it.

Interestingly, despite being native to the Caribbean, the monotypic species Bontia daphnoides is deeply nested within clade C of the tree.

Eremophila debilis is found in New Zealand although its appearance there is thought to be recent, most likely as a result of introduction by people.

Entomophilous flowers have protruding lower lips, which provide a landing area for insects, and they are often blue, purple, or white.

Bird-adapted flowers are red, orange, yellow, or green, and have lobes pointing downwards which discourages insects.

Skin complaints were treated with a mixture of emu oil and the ash from burned bark of the plant.

[18] In nature, most eremophila grow where rainfall is infrequent and are adapted to dealing with long dry spells, even droughts lasting years.

In a severe drought, some species, such as E. microtheca can lose their leaves and appear to be dead after a long dry period, only to recover and turn into a compact, healthy-looking shrub after a deep watering.