Common Name: MYRTLE FAMILY
Habit: [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).
Genera In Family: 100 genera, +- 3500 species: many species tropical America, Australasia, fewer Africa, southern 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). Note: Apparently of Gondwanan origins; tropics, subtropics, Mediterranean climates. Chamelaucium uncinatum Schauer, Luma apiculata (DC.) Burret, Melaleuca citrina (Curtis) Dum.Cours., Myrtus communis L., Syzygium australe (Link) B. Hyland are waifs.
eFlora Treatment Author: Leslie R. Landrum, except as noted
Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.