.jpg)
Manual of the New Zealand Flora.
3. Myrtus, Linn
3. Myrtus, Linn.
Shrubs or rarely trees, glabrous or pubescent or tomentose. Leaves opposite, often coriaceous, pellucid-dotted. Flowers axillary, solitary or in few-flowered cymes. Calyx-tube subglobose or turbinate; lobes 4–5, usually persistent. Petals 4–5, spreading. Stamens very numerous, in many series, free, longer than the petals. Ovary inferior, completely or imperfectly 2–3-celled; ovules numerous in each cell. Fruit a globose or ovoid berry, crowned with the persistent calyx-limb. Seeds few or many, reniform or almost globose; testa crustaceous or bony. Embryo terete, curved or annular; cotyledons small; radicle long.
Species about 100, most of them natives of South America, a few extending to Mexico and the West Indies. There are also 9 or 10 Australian species, and 1 (the common myrtle) widely spread over southern Europe and western Asia. The 4 New Zealand species are all endemic.
Leaves 1–2 in. long, tumid between the veins 1. M. bullata. Leaves ⅔–1 in. long, flat 2. M. Ralphii. Leaves ¼–½ in., obcordate. Calyx 4-lobed 3. M. obcordata. Leaves ¼–½ in., obovate. Calyx 5-lobed 4. M. pedunculata.
| 1. |
M. bullata, Sol. ex A. Cunn. Precur. n. 565.—An erect shrub, usually from 10 to l5 ft., but sometimes taller and becoming a small tree 20–25 ft. high; branchlets and young leaves tomentose. Leaves 1–2 in. long, reddish-brown, shortly petioled, broadly ovate or orbicular-ovate, obtuse or acute or apiculate, coriaceous, the surface tumid or blistered between the veins. Flowers axillary, solitary, ½ in. diam., white. Peduncles longer or shorter than the leaves, tomentose. Calyx 2-bracteolate at the base; lobes 4, obtuse or subacute. Petals orbicular, white. Berry ⅓ in. long, broadly ovoid, dark-red, becoming almost black when fully ripe, 2-celled. Seeds numerous, in 2 series in each cell, reniform; testa bony.—Hook. Ic. Plant. t. 557; Bot. Mag. t. 4809; Raoul, Choix, 49; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 70; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 74; Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 131; Students' Fl. 164. North Island: Common in woods from the North Cape to Cook Strait. South Island: Various localities in Marlborough and Nelson, rare. Ascends to 2000 ft. Ramarama. December–January. Easily distinguished by the tumid or blistered surface of the leaves, and by the calyx and petals being covered with minute warts. The peduncles are sometimes 2-flowered. page 169 |
| 2. | M. Ralphii, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 329.—An erect branching shrub 6–15 ft. high, rarely taller and becoming a small tree; branchlets very slender, and. with the young leaves sparingly tomentose. Leaves ⅔–1 in. long, usually green, shortly petioled, ovate or oblong-ovate to orbicular-ovate, obtuse or acute, thinly coriaceous or almost membranous, the surface flat or very slightly tumid between the veins. Flowers quite as in M. bullata but slightly smaller. Berry ¼–⅓ in. long, broadly ovoid, dark - red, 2-celled. Seeds much fewer than in M. bullata.—Handb. N.Z. Fl 74; Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 94; Students' Fl. 165.
North Island: From Whangarei to Cook Strait, but often local. South Island: Nelson and Marlborough, rare. Sea-level to 1500 ft. December–January. Very closely allied to M. bullata, but the leaves are smaller, usually green, with the surface plane or very slightly tumid; and the berry has fewer seeds |
| 3. | M. obcordata, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 71.—A much-branched shrub 5–15 ft. high; branches slender, spreading, the younger ones pubescent. Leaves opposite or in opposite fascicles, ⅕–½in. long, obcordate, narrowed into a short puberulous petiole, coriaceous, glabrous on both surfaces or slightly silky when young. Flowers solitary, axillary, ¼ in. diam., white. Peduncles as long as the leaves, pubescent. Calyx 4-lobed; lobes oblong, acute. Petals 4, orbicular. Berry ¼ in. long, broadly ovoid, dark-red or violet, 2-celled. Seeds 1–2 in each cell, reniform; testa bony.— Handb. N.Z. FL 74; Kirk, Forest Fl t. 70; Students' Fl 165. Eugenia obcordata, Raoul in Ann. Sci. Nat. Ser. iii. 2 (1844) 122.
North and South Islands: In woods from Whangarei to Foveaux Strait, but local north of the East Cape. Sea-level to 2000 ft. Rohutu December–January. |
| 4. | M. pedunculata, Hook. f. in Hook. Ic. Plant. t. 629, — A much-branched compact or diffuse shrub 5–15 ft. high; branches slender, glabrous, 4-angled. Leaves opposite, ¼–¾ in. long, obovate or obovate-oblong or oblong-ovate, rounded at the tip, rarely acute, coriaceous, glabrous, narrowed into short petioles. Flowers, axillary, solitary, ¼ in. diam., white. Peduncles slender, glabrous, longer or shorter than the leaves. Calyx glabrous, 5-lobed, 2-bracteolate at the base. Petals 5, rounded. Berry small, ¼ in. long, broadly ovoid, red or yellowish, 2-celled. Seeds 2–5.— Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 71; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 74; Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 112; Students' Fl. 165. Eugenia vitis-idæa, Raoul in Ann. Sci. Nat. Ser. iii. 2 (1844) 122. |
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: From Hokianga and the Bay of Islands southwards, but often local. Sea-level to 2000 ft. Rohutu. December–January.
Closely allied to M. obcordata, but easily recognised by the glabrous branchlets, obovate leaves rounded at the tip, and 5-lobed calyx.