Micromyrtus obovata explained

Micromyrtus obovata is a species of the flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end toward the base, white flowers in diameter, and 10 stamens in each flower.

Description

Micromyrtus obovata is an erect shrub that typically grows to high and has its leaves densely arranged near the ends of branchlets. Its leaves are erect, egg-shaped to broadly egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, long and wide on a petiole long. The flowers are in diameter, and arranged in between 6 and 20 or more upper leaf axils on a peduncle long. The sepals are egg-shaped or elliptic, long an wide. The petals are white, very broadly egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base and long. There are 10 stamens in each flower, the anthers about long. Flowering occurs between July and September, and the fruit is long and wide, containing a single golden brown seed.[1]

Taxonomy

This species was first described in 1852 by Nikolai Turczaninow who gave it the name Thryptomene obovata in the Bulletin de la Classe Physico-Mathématique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg from material collected by James Drummond.[2] [3] In 1985, John Green transferred the species to Micromyrtus as M. obovata .[4] The specific epithet (obovata) means "inverted egg-shaped", referring to the shape of the leaves.[5]

Distribution and habitat

Micromyrtus obovata grows on hills, slopes and flats between Wubin, Lake Grace and Southern Cross in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, and Mallee bioregions of south-western Western Australia.

Notes and References

  1. Rye . Barbara L. . A revision of south-western Australian species of Micromyrtus (Myrtaceae) with five antisepalous ribs on the hypanthium. . Nuytsia . 2002 . 15 . 1 . 114–116 . 8 January 2024.
  2. Web site: Thryptomene obovata. APNI. 8 January 2024.
  3. Turczaninow . Nikolai . Myrtaceae Xerocarpicae in Nova Hollandia a cl. Drummond lectae et plerumque in collectione ejus quinta distributae, determinatae et descriptae. . Bulletin de la Classe Physico-Mathématique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg . 1852 . 10 . 321 . 8 January 2024.
  4. Web site: Micromyrtus obovata. APNI. 8 January 2024.
  5. Book: Sharr . Francis Aubi . George . Alex . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 263 . 3rd.