Micromyrtus


Micromyrtus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus Micromyrtus are shrubs with simple leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and white, pink or yellow flowers arranged in upper leaf axils, the flowers with five sepals five petals and five or ten stamens.

Description

Plants in the genus Micromyrtus are shrubs typically less than high. They have crowded, overlapping, simple leaves arranged in opposite pairs, oblong to lance-shaped and usually less than long. The flowers are arranged singly or in groups of up to three on a common peduncle, often forming clusters on the ends of branches. The flowers usually have five, small sepals and five white, pink or yellow, elliptic to round petals that are free from each other, and five or ten stamens. The fruit is a small, dry, indehiscent nut, usually containing a single seed.

Taxonomy

The genus Micromyrtus was first formally described in 1865 by George Bentham in Genera Plantarum. The name Micromyrtus means "small myrtle".

Species list

The following names of species of Micromyrtus are accepted by Plants of the World Online and the Australian Plant Census as of August 2023: Micromyrtus acuta Rye Micromyrtus albicans A.R.Bean Micromyrtus arenicola Rye Micromyrtus barbata J.W.Green Micromyrtus blakelyi J.W.Green Micromyrtus capricornia A.R.Bean Micromyrtus carinata A.R. Bean Micromyrtus chrysodema Rye Micromyrtus ciliata Druce - fringed heath-myrtleMicromyrtus clavata J.W.Green ex Rye Micromyrtus collina Rye Micromyrtus delicata A.R.Bean Micromyrtus elobata Benth.