Myoporum

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Myoporum
Starr Myoporum sandwicense0.jpg
Naio ( Myoporum sandwicense )
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Tribe: Myoporeae
Genus: Myoporum
Banks & Sol. ex G.Forst. [1]
Species

See text.

Myoporum is a genus of flowering plants in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae (formerly placed in Myoporaceae). There are 30 species in the genus, eighteen of which are endemic to Australia although others are endemic to Pacific Islands, including New Zealand, and one is endemic to two Indian Ocean islands. They are shrubs or small trees with leaves that are arranged alternately and have white, occasionally pink flowers and a fruit that is a drupe.

Contents

Description

Plants in this genus are shrubs or small trees, mostly glabrous with simple leaves that are arranged alternately and often lack a petiole (although the leaves often taper towards the base). The flowers are adapted for pollination by insects and have white, (sometimes pinkish) petals and usually 4 stamens. The fruit is a drupe with its central seed surrounded by a hard endocarp and usually succulent mesocarp. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

The genus Myoporum was first formally described in 1786 by Georg Forster, from an unpublished description by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander. [4] [5] The name Myoporum is derived from the Ancient Greek myo meaning "to close" or "to be shut" and poros meaning "pore", referring to the ability of (some) plants in this genus to exist in dry areas, [6] or possibly to the appearance of the glands on the leaves. [7]

Distribution

There are 30 species in the genus, which is spread from Mauritius, across Australia to the Pacific Islands. Eighteen species are endemic to Australia.

Ecology

Myoporum insulare is invasive in several African countries and in the western coastal areas of the United States. In South Africa this species is known as manatoka. [8] Some species, including M. insulare and M. laetum are known to be poisonous to stock. [3] [9]

Use in horticulture

M. parvifolium, M. floribundum and M. bateae are often cultivated as ornamentals, hedges or windbreaks. M. insulare, M. montanum, M. acuminatum and sometimes M. parvifolium are often used as rootstock for Eremophila species, especially those that are difficult to grow from cuttings or that are to be grown in heavier soils. [3] [9]

Species list

The following is a list of the species of Myoporum accepted by the Australian Plant Census for Australian species and Plants of the World Online for others: [10] [11]

Formerly placed here

Related Research Articles

<i>Leucopogon</i> Genus of flowering plants

Leucopogon is a genus of about 150-160 species of shrubs or small trees in the family Ericaceae, in the section of that family formerly treated as the separate family Epacridaceae. They are native to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, the western Pacific Islands and Malaysia, with the greatest species diversity in the south-west of Western Australia. Plants in this genus have leaves with a few more or less parallel veins, and tube-shaped flowers usually with a white beard inside.

<i>Zieria</i> Genus of flowering plants

Zieria is a genus of plants in the family, Rutaceae. About sixty species have been formally described, all of which are endemic to Australia except for one species which is found in New Caledonia. They occur in all Australian states except Western Australia but the genus is under review and a number of species are yet to be described or the description published. Zierias are similar to the better known genus Boronia but can be distinguished by the number of stamens in the flowers. The name Zieria honours the Polish botanist John Zier.

<i>Eremophila bowmanii</i> Species of plant endemic to Australia

Eremophila bowmanii, also known as silver turkeybush, Bowman's poverty bush and flannel bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. It is a low to medium, spreading shrub with silvery-grey, hairy foliage and blue to lilac flowers, and sometimes grows in dense thickets with mulga.

<i>Myoporum rapense</i> Species of flowering plant

Myoporum rapense is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to French Polynesia and the Kermadec Islands. It is closely related to Myoporum laetum and there are two subspecies which are found on different island groups.

<i>Eremophila clarkei</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila clarkei, commonly known as turpentine bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. It is a shrub which is variable in form, but usually with narrow leaves and white or pale pink flowers. It is similar to Eremophila georgei and Eremophila granitica.

<i>Gahnia</i> Genus of grass-like plants

Gahnia is a genus of sedges native to China, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand and a number of Pacific Islands. The common name is due to the toothed margins. It often forms tussocks.

<i>Myoporum insulare</i> Species of plant

Myoporum insulare, commonly known as common boobialla, native juniper, is a species of flowering plant in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to coastal areas of Australia. It is a shrub or small tree which grows on dunes and coastal cliffs, is very salt tolerant and widely used in horticulture.

Diocirea is a genus of flowering plants in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. The genus is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia and is intermediate in character between Eremophila and Myoporum. There are four members of the genus, all of which are small shrubs with stems and leaves which produce a resin making the plants appear bluish-green. Neither the genus, nor any of the species had been described before 2007 although a few specimens had been collected as Eremophila elachantha. Despite their limited distribution, they often occur in populations of several thousand individual plants, forming a dense ground cover.

<i>Myoporum parvifolium</i> Species of plant

Myoporum parvifolium, commonly known as creeping boobialla, creeping myoporum, dwarf native myrtle or small leaved myoporum is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. It is a low, spreading shrub with long, trailing stems and white, star-shaped flowers and is endemic to southern Australia including Flinders Island.

<i>Myoporum acuminatum</i> Species of tree

Myoporum acuminatum, commonly known as waterbush, pointed boobialla or mangrove boobialla, is a flowering plant in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It grows in rainforest or wet eucalyptus forest near the coast and in the Coastal Ranges, and is occasionally associated with mangroves. Occasionally it is found in the drier rainforests. It grows naturally as far south as Mimosa Rocks National Park in far south eastern New South Wales, and north to Fraser Island in Southern Queensland.

<i>Myoporum petiolatum</i> Species of plant

Myoporum petiolatum, commonly known as sticky boobialla, is a plant in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae, and is endemic to the south-east of continental Australia. For many years this species has been confused with the much less common species Myoporum viscosum from which it can be distinguished by its thinner, noticeably petiolate and non-odorous leaves.

<i>Myoporum floribundum</i> Species of shrub

Myoporum floribundum, commonly known as weeping myoporum or slender myoporum, is a sour-smelling glabrous shrub in the family Scrophulariaceae endemic to a small area of New South Wales and Victoria in Australia. It has long, thin, drooping leaves and profuse white flowers in clusters along the stems in spring. Although it is uncommon in nature, it has long been available as a popular garden plant.

Myoporum crassifolium is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. It is a shrub or small tree with thick, fleshy leaves and small groups of white flowers spotted with pink or purple. It is endemic to New Caledonia, Vanuatu and the Loyalty Islands and is a rich source of the essential oil, bisabolol.

Myoporum tenuifolium is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and it is endemic to New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands. It can be distinguished from Myoporum crassifolium, by its very thin leaves and its glabrous flowers.

<i>Myoporum tetrandrum</i> Species of flowering plant

Myoporum tetrandrum, commonly known as slender myoporum or boobialla is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. It is an erect and spreading shrub endemic to the south-west of Western Australia, common in moist areas and like most of the other members of its genus has bell shaped, star-like white flowers in the leaf axils.

<i>Myoporum velutinum</i> Species of flowering plant

Myoporum velutinum is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area near Esperance in Western Australia. It has similar flowers and fruits and grows in similar environments to Myoporum tetrandrum but differs from it and all other members of the genus by having hairs on the outer edge of the petals.

Eremophila conglomerata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to central areas of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with small, serrated leaves and mauve to blue flowers that extend well beyond the foliage.

Robert James (Bob) Chinnock is a New Zealand-born Australian botanist who worked at the State Herbarium of South Australia as a senior biologist. He retired in 2008 but still works as an honorary research associate.

<i>Leichhardtia</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants

Leichhardtia is a genus of flowering plants in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). It includes 85 species native to mainland Australia, Papuasia, New Caledonia, and Lord Howe Island.

References

  1. "Myoporum Sol. ex G. Forst". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2006-04-20. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
  2. Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. p. 95. ISBN   9781877058165.
  3. 1 2 3 "Plantnet - Royal Botanic Gardens (Sydney)". National Herbarium of New South Wales. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  4. "Myoporum". APNI. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  5. Forster, Georg (1786). Florulae Insularum Australium Prodromus. Göttingen. p. 44. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  6. Crisp, Michael (1986). "Myoporum bateae". Australian National Botanic Garden. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  7. "Australian Native Plant Society (Australia)". Australian Native Plant Society (Australia). October 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  8. Glen, Hugh; van Wyk, Braam (2016). Guide to trees introduced into southern Africa (First ed.). Cape Town, South Africa: Struik Nature. pp. 230–231. ISBN   9781775841258.
  9. 1 2 Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. pp. 23–24. ISBN   9781876473655.
  10. "Myoporum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  11. "Myoporum". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 18 November 2020.