Micromyrtus uniovulum

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Micromyrtus uniovulum
Status DECF P2.svg
Priority Two — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Micromyrtus
Species:
M. uniovulum
Binomial name
Micromyrtus uniovulum

Micromyrtus uniovulum is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low, spreading, sometimes erect shrub with oblong leaves, and white flowers with 10 stamens.

Contents

Description

Micromyrtus uniovulum is a low, spreading, sometimes erect shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 40 cm (16 in). Its leaves are narrowly to broadly oblong, 1.5–4.5 mm (0.059–0.177 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) wide on a petiole 0.3–0.5 mm (0.012–0.020 in) long usually with 5 to 8 oil glands on each side of the midvein. The flowers are arranged in racemes up to 30 upper leaf axils and are about 3 mm (0.12 in) in diameter on a peduncle 0.5–0.7 mm (0.020–0.028 in) long. The floral tube is 2.0–2.3 mm (0.079–0.091 in) long with 5 ribs. The sepals are 0.3–0.4 mm (0.012–0.016 in) long and 0.5–0.6 mm (0.020–0.024 in) wide. The petals are white, widely spreading and egg-shaped, and there are 10 stamens. Flowering occurs from September to December and the fruit is about 1.8 mm (0.071 in) long . [2]

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 2002 by Barbara Lynette Rye who gave it the name Micromyrtus uniovula in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected near Bunny Road in 1999. [2] [3] In 1919, Alex George noted in the Australian Systematic Botany Newsletter , that the specific epithet is a noun, hence used in apposition, and should be uniovulum. [4] In 2020, the epithet was corrected to uniovulum in the journal Nuytsia. [5] The specific epithet (uniovulum) means 'one egg' and refers to the species having only one ovule in the ovary. [2]

Distribution and habitat

This species is found on the lateritic rises in a mall area west of Three Springs in the Avon Wheatbelt and Geraldton Sandplains bioregions of south-western Western Australia. [2] [6]

Conservation status

Micromyrtus uniovulum is listed as "Priority Two" [6] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat. [7]

References

  1. ↑ "Micromyrtus uniovulum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Rye, Barbara L. (2002). "A revision of south-western Australian species of Micromyrtus (Myrtaceae) with five antisepalous ribs on the hypanthium". Nuytsia. 15: 118–119. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  3. ↑ "Micromyrtus uniovula". APNI. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  4. ↑ George, Alex S. (2019). "On orthography". Australian Systematic Botany Society Newsletter. 181: 39. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  5. ↑ Percy-Bower, Julia M.; Parker, Cheryl M. (2021). "Updates to Western Australia's vascular plant census for 2020". Nuytsia. 32: 13. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  6. 1 2 "Micromyrtus uniovulum". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  7. ↑ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
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