Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All species are woody, contain essential oils, and have flower parts in multiples of four or five. The leaves are evergreen, alternate to mostly opposite, simple, and usually entire. The flowers have a base number of five petals, though in several genera, the petals are minute or absent. The stamens are usually very conspicuous, brightly coloured, and numerous.
Darwinia, sometimes commonly known as mountain bells or simply bells, is a genus of about 70 species of evergreen shrubs in the family Myrtaceae, endemic to southeastern and southwestern Australia. The majority are native to southern Western Australia, but a few species occur in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. The genus was named in honour of Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles Darwin by Edward Rudge in 1816. Most darwinias grow to a height of between 0.2 and 3 m, and many are prostrate shrubs. Most have small, simple leaves and the flowers are often grouped together, each flower with five red, white or greenish petals and ten stamens. In many species, the flowers are surrounded by large, colourful bracts, giving rise to their common names.
Beaufortia is a genus of woody shrubs and small trees in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Southwest Australia. The genus Beaufortia is closely related to Melaleuca, Calothamnus, Regelia and several others, differing mainly in the way the anthers are attached to the stalks of the stamens, and in the way they open to release their pollen. Beaufortia anthers are attached at one end and open by splitting at the other.
Astartea is a genus of flowering plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. The genus is endemic to southwestern Western Australia. The genus name was inspired by Astarte, the Greek name for the goddess Ishtar.
Balaustion is a genus of flowering plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia.
Thryptomene is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus Thryptomene are shrubs with small leaves arranged in opposite pairs and white or pink flowers. About forty-seven species of Thryptomene, occurring in all Australian states and the Northern Territory, have been formally described.
Calytrix is a genus of about 83 species of flowering plants, commonly known as star flowers, in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus Calytrix are small to large shrubs with small, spreading and more or less round leaves, the flowers arranged singly in leaf axils. The flowers are bisexual with 5 overlapping sepals with a long awn, and many stamens.
Eremaea is a genus of woody shrubs and small trees in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Little study of the genus as a whole had been undertaken until Roger Hnatiuk researched Eremaea and published a paper in 1993, A revision of the genus Eremaea (Myrtaceae) in Nuytsia. The first species to be described was Eremaea pauciflora in 1837 and by 1964, the number of species known had increased to 12. Hnatiuk recognised 16 species, 5 subspecies and a number of varieties.
Scholtzia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae, which are endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The genus was first described by Schauer in 1843, who named it in honour of the physician Heinrich Scholtz. The type species is Scholtzia obovata.
Seorsus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae. The occurrence of the four species in Australia and Borneo is widely spaced, and is thought to be indicative that the genus predates the breakup of Gondwana.
Chamelaucieae is a tribe of flowering plants within the family Myrtaceae, mostly from Australia, with a few species in New Caledonia and south-east Asia.
Babingtonia is a genus of 11 species of flowering plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Plants in the genus Babingtonia are glabrous shrubs with simple linear, lance-shaped or elliptic leaves with white flowers arranged singly or in groups of three to seven, in leaf axils.
Austrobaeckea latens is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is an upright, spreading shrub with erect, linear leaves and small white flowers with three to ten stamens.
Austrobaeckea pachyphylla is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a shrub with bilaterally flattened leaves and small white flowers with two to eight stamens.
Austrobaeckea pygmaea is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a slender and erect or spreading shrub with narrowly egg-shaped to almost linear leaves and small white flowers with 12 to 25 stamens.
Austrobaeckea uncinella is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south coast of Western Australia. It is a shrub with narrowly egg-shaped to linear leaves and small white flowers with seven to thirteen stamens.
Micromyrtus elobata is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is usually an erect shrub with small, narrowly to broadly egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and white flowers 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) in diameter.
Barbara Lynette Rye is an Australian botanist born in 1952.
Tetrapora is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Myrtaceae.
Astus is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Myrtaceae.
