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MYRTACEAE MYRTLE FAMILY

Leslie R. Landrum, except as noted

[Subshrub] shrub, tree, trunk bark smooth or scaly; glands 0 or embedded in epidermis.
Leaf: opposite or alternate, persistent, generally glandular when young.
Inflorescence: generally axillary, raceme, panicle, cyme, or flowers 1.
Flower: generally bisexual, parts in 4s, 5s, generally ± white; hypanthium exceeding ovary or not; stamens generally many; ovary [rarely superior to] inferior, 2–5(18)-chambered; placentas axillary, just below top, or basal, ovules few to many, generally in 2–many series.
Fruit: berry, capsule, nut.
Seed: 1–many; coat membranous to ± leathery or hard, bony; embryo starchy or oily (of great taxonomic importance).
100 genera, ± 3500 species: many species tropical America, Australasia, fewer Africa, s Asia; economically important for timber (Eucalyptus), spices (Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry, cloves; Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr., allspice), edible fruits (Psidium guajava L., guava; Acca sellowiana (O. Berg) Burret, pineapple guava), many orns (Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, several other genera). [McVaugh 1968 Taxon 17:354–418] Apparently of Gondwanan origins; tropics, subtrop, Medit climates. Chamelaucium uncinatum Schauer, Luma apiculata (DC.) Burret, Melaleuca citrina (Curtis) Dum.Cours., Myrtus communis L., Syzygium australe (Link) B. Hyland are waifs. —Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.
Unabridged references: [McVaugh 1968 Taxon 17:354–418; Wilson et al. 2005 Plant Syst Evol 251:3–19]

Key to Myrtaceae

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) [year] Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html [accessed on month, day, year]
Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on [month, day, year].

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