Family: Scrophulariaceae
Myoporum
Citation:
Sol. ex Forster f., Fl. Insul. Aust. Prod. 44 (1786).
Derivation: Greek myd, I close; poros, pore; alluding to the closed appearance of the leaf glands.
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Myoporums.
Description:
Shrubs or small trees with vegetative and/or floral parts glabrous or rarely hairy; leaves alternate or rarely opposite, sessile or with a petiole-like base, entire or toothed.
Flowers 2-11, rarely 1 in axils; sepals 5, free or connate at the base, valvate or imbricate, equal or subequal; corolla almost actinomorphic, campanulate, lobes spreading, almost equally spaced or more or less a 2:3 arrangement, as long as the tube or longer; stamens 4, exserted, filaments straight or slightly curved, anthers reniform; ovary 2-celled or becoming 4-celled by 2 intruding septal placentas, with 1 or 2 ovules per cell; style straight.
Fruit drupaceous, succulent or rarely dry and laterally compressed, with 2-4 cells each with 1 seed although rarely all develop.
Distribution:
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About 31 species in Australia, Pacific, south-east Asia and Mauritius; at least 15 in Australia, but the distinction between some species is uncertain. In Australia the genus is largely confined to southern and eastern temperate and semi-arid regions, with only a few species widespread in the arid areas or the tropical northern regions.
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Biology:
No text
Taxonomic notes:
All S.Aust. species are very variable in vegetative and floral characters.
Key to Species:
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1. Mat-like or low growing decumbent shrubs; leaves obtuse, less than 30 mm long |
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2. Branches prostrate and creeping or some shortly erect; corolla bearded inside; lobes at least as long as the tube |
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M. parvifolium 4. |
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2. Branches decumbent or erect; corolla glabrous inside; lobes one-half to two-thirds the tube's length |
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M. brevipes 2. |
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1. Erect shrubs; leaves acute or obtuse, usually greater than 30 mm long but if shorter fruits white |
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3. Branches smooth or obscurely tuberculate |
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4. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, distinctly petiolate, margins serrulate. M. viscosum 6 |
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4. Leaves variable in shape, petiole absent or leaf gradually tapering to the base, margins entire, serrate or dentate |
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5. Sepals valvate; leaves thin |
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6. Leaves entire; fruit succulent, subglobular, purple |
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M. acuminatum 1. |
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6. Leaves dentate in distal half; fruit dry, distinctly flattened. |
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M. platycarpum 5. |
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5. Sepals imbricate; leaves thick and fleshy |
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7. Leaves 3.5-28 mm long, oblong, obovate to oblanceolate or linear-subterete, obtuse, entire or rarely irregularly toothed; fruit white |
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M. brevipes 2. |
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7. Leaves 30-70 mm long, lanceolate to oblanceolate or very rarely obovate, acute or obtuse, serrulate in the distal half or more rarely entire; fruit purple |
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M. insulare 3. |
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3. Branches prominently tuberculate |
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8. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, distinctly petiolate, acute, margins serrulate |
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M. viscosum 6. |
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9. Leaves linear-lanceolate, acuminate, dentate in the distal half; sepals valvate; fruit dry, flattened, pale-yellow |
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M. platycarpum 5. |
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9. Leaves oblong, obovate to oblanceolate or linear-subterete; sepals imbricate; fruit succulent, globular, white |
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M. brevipes 2. |
Author:
Not yet available
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