Kingdom Plantae Family Scrophulariaceae Rank Species | Order Lamiales Genus Myoporum | |
Similar Myoporum acuminatum, Myoporum montanum, Myoporum tetrandrum, Myoporum, Myoporum laetum | ||
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, (the only other member of the genus to occur in New Caledonia) by its very thin leaves and its glabrous flowers.
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Description
Myoporum tenuifolium is an erect shrub usually growing to a height of 10 metres (30 ft) which has flattened branches. Its leaves are arranged alternately and are usually 50–70 millimetres (2–3 in) long, 9–16 millimetres (0.4–0.6 in) wide with a stalk about 3–10 millimetres (0.1–0.4 in) long. They are unusually thin, elliptic in shape and have a distinct mid-vein on the lower surface.
The flowers are borne in groups of 1 to 4 in the axils of leaves on a flattened stalk 6–12.5 millimetres (0.2–0.5 in) long. The flowers have 5 triangular sepals and 5 petals, joined at their bases to form a bell-shaped tube. The petals are white and the tube is 2–4.5 millimetres (0.08–0.2 in) long with the lobes slightly shorter than the tube. The tube and its lobes are glabrous and there are 4 stamens which extend slightly beyond it. The fruit is a reddish to brown drupe that is oval shaped and about 3.5–7 millimetres (0.1–0.3 in) long.
Taxonomy and naming
Myoporum tenuifolium was first formally described in 1786 by Georg Forster in Florulae Insularum Australium Prodromus in 1810. The specific epithet (tenuifolium) is derived from the Latin words tenuis meaning "thin" or "delicate" and folium meaning "a leaf".
Distribution and habitat
Myoporum tenuifolium is found on Grande Terre, the main island of New Caledonia and on Maré Island and Ouvéa in the Loyalty Island group. It grows in scrub and forest, often on steep hillsides.
Ecology
This species has become naturalised on the southern coast of South Africa.
Use in horticulture
Myoporum tenuifolium is a common garden plant in eastern Spain.