| | Family guide for fruits and seeds |
Synonyms: Heteropyxidaceae Engl. & Gilg, nom. cons.; Kaniaceae Nakai; Leptospermaceae F. Rudolphi; Myrrhiniaceae Arn.; Psiloxylaceae Croizat
Common name: Myrtle Family.
Number of genera 135. Number of species 3850.
Angiosperm. Magnoliopsida.
Disseminule a dehisced fruit, or an intact or entire fruit, or a seed.
Fruits
Pistil(s) 1; 1-pistillate. Fruit pericarpium; simple, or compound; amphisarcum (Eugenia), or berry, or capsule, or drupe, or follicle (not Spjut); capsiconum (Eucalyptus Spjut 5 families: Cuoniaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Myrtaceae, Salicaceae, Saururaceae); pyxidium capsule (Spjut Fig. 46C), or loculicidal capsule; capsule not inflated; capsule without operculum; berry indehiscent; berry without central placental mass; without persistent central column; not within accessory organ(s); 1-seeded to many-seeded (rarely); 1-seeded (to few or many); less than 1 cm long; 0.3 cm long; with carpels remaining united at maturity; without sterile carpels; not sulcate; in transection terete; apex not beaked; wall assumed woody, or fleshy (for berry); Leptospermoideae dehiscent, or indehiscent (Myrtoideae). Dehiscent unit seed(s). Dehiscent passively; and shedding seeds; without replum. Epicarp brown (all shades); dull; durable; glabrous (without hairs), or not glabrous (with hairs); hairs short; hairs dense; hairs not glandular; without armature; without wing(s); without apical respiratory hole. Mesocarp present, or absent; fleshy; composed of 1 unified layer; without lactiform cavity system; and endocarp sharply differentiated. Endocarp present, or absent; not separating from exocarp; thin, or thick; without wing; without operculum; without secretory cavities; without mechanism for seedling escape; without grooves; without longitudinal ridges. Funiculus short; short without seed bearing hooks (retinacula); not persisting in fruit after seed shed.
Seeds
Aril absent. Seed larger than minute, or minute; less than 1 mm long to 10 to less than 25 mm long; 0.5–20 mm long; ovate, or irregular, or mitaform, or angular; in transection flattened; not bowl shaped; not nutlike; without winglike beak; without caudate appendage(s); at maturity with food reserves, or without apparent food reserves; with endosperm; without canavanine. Sarcotesta absent. Testa present; without markedly different marginal tissue; without fleshy or leathery layer over hard layer; tight; surface smooth, or unsmooth; surface with discreet raised features, or merged raised features; surface papillate; surface reticulate, or ribbed, or rugose; without crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle, or with crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle; without notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approach each other, or with notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approaching each other; without glands; without bristles; glabrous; without wings, or with wing(s) (Eucalyptus); with wing(s) solid; with solid wing(s) similar to testa; without collar; without operculum; colored; monochrome; brown (all shades), or black, or red (dish); thin, or membranous, or crustaceous, or hard; not becoming mucilaginous when wetted; surrounding embryo (or essentailly so). Endosperm development nuclear; scant.
Embryo differentiated from food reserve; well developed; 1 per seed (often polyembryonic); completely filling testa (no food reserve), or nearly filling testa (trace or scanty food reserve); 1 times the length of food reserve; at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; linear, or foliate; with investing cotyledons, or spatulate cotyledons; straight, or bent, or arcuate, or C-shaped, or J-shaped, or flatly coiled (circinate); parallel to seed length; with cotyledons abruptly connected to hypocotyl-radicle, or gradually connected to hypocotyl-radicle; without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; with cotyledons containing starch; without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons. Cotyledons 2; moderately developed, or well developed; 0.2–0.8 times length of embryo; as wide as hypocotyl-radicle, or somewhat to significantly wider than hypocotyl-radicle; 1–1.8 times wider than hypocotyl-radicle; not concealing hypocotyl-radicle, or partially concealing hypocotyl-radicle; foliaceous, or not foliaceous; flat, or once-folded, or twisted; smooth; with apices entire; with margins separate, or connate; basally entire; equal in size; not punctate dotted. Hypocotyl-radicle moderately developed, or well developed, or small; straight, or curved; not thickened, or much thickened.
Distribution
Pantropical and pansubtropical. New World, Old World. Middle America, South America, Africa, Asia Minor, southeastern Asia, Australia, Oceania.
Notes
Often polyembryonous initially.
Weed information
1 or more USA Federal noxious weeds, 1 or more USA state noxious weeds.
USA Federal noxious weeds: -- Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S. T. Blake: USA Federal Noxious Weedª; USA state noxious weed: FLª●, MAª, NCª, OKª, SCª, TXª. -- Symbols: ªaquatic weed; ●terrestrial weed; °weed in seed. -- Last updated September 2008.
USA states and territories with listed noxious weeds: Florida (FL), Hawaii (HI), Massachusetts (MA), North Carolina (NC), Oklahoma (OK), Puerto Rico (PR), South Carolina (SC), Texas (TX).
USA state and territory noxious weeds: -- Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S. T. Blake: USA Federal Noxious Weedª; USA state noxious weed: FLª●, MAª, NCª, OKª, SCª, TXª. -- Melaleuca spp.: USA state noxious weed: PRª●. -- Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk.: USA state noxious weed: FL●, HI●°. -- Symbols: ªaquatic weed; ●terrestrial weed; °weed in seed. -- Last updated September 2008.
Listed seeds
ASOA listed seeds, ISTA listed seeds.
ASOA listed seeds: -- Eucalyptus deglupta Blume -- Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden -- Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S. T. Blake -- Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk. -- Last updated September 2008.
ISTA listed seeds: -- Callistemon citrinus (Curtis) Skeels -- Callistemon lanceolatus (Sm.) Sweet = Callistemon citrinus (Curtis) Skeels -- Corymbia citriodora (Hook.) K. D. Hill & L. A. S. Johnson = Eucalyptus citriodora Hook. -- Corymbia ficifolia (F. Muell.) K. D. Hill & L. A. S. Johnson = Eucalyptus ficifolia F. Muell. -- Corymbia maculata (Hook.) K. D. Hill & L. A. S. Johnson = Eucalyptus maculata Hook. -- Eucalyptus alba Reinw. ex Blume -- Eucalyptus astringens (Maiden) Maident -- Eucalyptus botryoides Sm.t -- Eucalyptus bridgesiana R. T. Bakert -- Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh.t -- Eucalyptus cinerea F. Muell. ex Benth.t -- Eucalyptus citriodora Hook.t -- Eucalyptus cladocalyx F. Muell.t -- Eucalyptus cloeziana F. Muell.t -- Eucalyptus cypellocarpa L. A. S. Johnsont -- Eucalyptus dalrympleana Maident -- Eucalyptus deanei Maident -- Eucalyptus deglupta Blumet -- Eucalyptus delegatensis R. T. Bakert -- Eucalyptus diversicolor F. Muell.w -- Eucalyptus elata Dehnh.t -- Eucalyptus fastigata H. Deane & Maident -- Eucalyptus ficifolia F. Muell.t -- Eucalyptus glaucescens Maiden & Blakelyt -- Eucalyptus globulus Labill.t -- Eucalyptus gomphocephala DC. -- Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maident -- Eucalyptus gunnii Hook. f.t -- Eucalyptus largiflorens F. Muell.t -- Eucalyptus leucoxylon F. Muell.t -- Eucalyptus macrorhyncha F. Muell. ex Benth.t -- Eucalyptus maculata Hook.t -- Eucalyptus maidenii F. Muell. included in Eucalyptus globulus Labill.t -- Eucalyptus mannifera Mudiet -- Eucalyptus marginata Donn ex Sm. -- Eucalyptus melliodora A. Cunn. ex Schauert -- Eucalyptus microcorys F. Muell. -- Eucalyptus microtheca F. Muell.t -- Eucalyptus moluccana Roxb.t -- Eucalyptus muelleriana A. W. Howittt -- Eucalyptus niphophila Maiden & Blakely included in Eucalyptus pauciflora Sieber ex Spreng.t -- Eucalyptus nitens (H. Deane & Maiden) Maident -- Eucalyptus obliqua L'Her. -- Eucalyptus occidentalis Endl. -- Eucalyptus paniculata Sm.w -- Eucalyptus pauciflora Sieber ex Spreng.t -- Eucalyptus pilularis Sm.t -- Eucalyptus polybractea R. T. Bakert -- Eucalyptus radiata Sieber ex DC.t -- Eucalyptus regnans F. Muell.t -- Eucalyptus resinifera Sm.t -- Eucalyptus robusta Sm.t -- Eucalyptus rudis Endl.t -- Eucalyptus saint-johnii (R. T. Baker) R. T. Baker included in Eucalyptus globulus Labill.t -- Eucalyptus saligna Sm.t -- Eucalyptus sideroxylon A. Cunn. ex Woollst -- Eucalyptus sieberi L. A. S. Johnsont -- Eucalyptus smithii R. T. Bakert -- Eucalyptus tereticornis Sm.t -- Eucalyptus viminalis Labill.t -- Eugenia caryophyllus (Spreng.) Bullock & S. G. Harrison = Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L. M. Perry -- Eugenia uniflora L.w -- Leptospermum scoparium J. R. Forst. & G. Forst. -- Lophostemon confertus (R. Br.) Peter G. Wilson & J. T. Waterh. -- Melaleuca cajuputi Powell -- Melaleuca leucadendra (L.) L. -- Melaleuca minor Sm. = Melaleuca cajuputi Powell -- Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S. T. Blakew -- Metrosideros collina (J. R. Forst. & G. Forst.) A. Gray -- Myrciaria cauliflora (Mart.) O. Berg -- Myrciaria jaboticaba (Vell.) O. Berg -- Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. -- Pimenta racemosa (Mill.) J. W. Moore -- Psidium cattleianum Sabinew -- Psidium guajava L.w -- Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L. M. Perry -- Tristania conferta R. Br. = Lophostemon confertus (R. Br.) Peter G. Wilson & J. T. Waterh. -- Symbols: aagricultural and vegetable seeds (Table 2A Part 1); ttree and shrub species (Table 2A Part 2); fflower, spice, herb, and medicinal seeds (Table 2A Part 3); wweed seeds. -- Last updated September 2008.
Accepted genera
Acca O. Berg -- Accara Landrum -- Acmena DC. -- Acmenosperma Kausel -- Actinodium Schauer -- Agonis (DC.) Sweet, nom. cons. -- Allosyncarpia S. T. Blake -- Amomyrtella Kausel -- Amomyrtus (Burret) D. Legrand & Kausel -- Anetholea Peter G. Wilson -- Angasomyrtus Trudgen & Keighery -- Angophora Cav. -- Aphanomyrtus Miq. -- Archirhodomyrtus (Nied.) Burret -- Arillastrum Pancher ex Baill. -- Astartea DC. -- Asteromyrtus Schauer -- Austromyrtus (Nied.) Burret -- Babingtonia Lindl. -- Backhousia Hook. & Harv. -- Baeckea L. -- Balaustion Hook. -- Barongia Peter G. Wilson & B. Hyland -- Basisperma C. T. White -- Beaufortia R. Br. -- Blepharocalyx O. Berg -- Callistemon R. Br. -- Calothamnus Labill. -- Calycolpus O. Berg -- Calycorectes O. Berg -- Calyptranthes Sw., nom. cons. -- Calyptrogenia Burret -- Calytrix Labill. -- Campomanesia Ruiz & Pav. -- Carpolepis (J. W. Dawson) J. W. Dawson -- Chamelaucium Desf. -- Chamguava Landrum -- Choricarpia Domin -- Cleistocalyx Blume -- Cloezia Brongn. & Gris -- Conothamnus Lindl. -- Corymbia K. D. Hill & L. A. S. Johnson -- Corynanthera J. W. Green -- Corynemyrtus (Kiaersk.) Mattos -- Cupheanthus Seem. -- Darwinia Rudge -- Decaspermum J. R. Forst. & G. Forst. -- Eremaea Lindl. -- Eucalyptopsis C. T. White -- Eucalyptus L'Hér. -- Eugenia L. -- Gomidesia O. Berg -- Heteropyxis Harv., nom. cons. -- Hexachlamys O. Berg -- Homalocalyx F. Muell. -- Homalospermum Schauer -- Homoranthus A. Cunn. ex Schauer -- Hottea Urb. -- Hypocalymma (Endl.) Endl. -- Kania Schltr. -- Kjellbergiodendron Burret -- Kunzea Rchb., nom. cons. -- Lamarchea Gaudich. -- Legrandia Kausel -- Lencymmoea C. Presl -- Leptospermum J. R. Forst. & G. Forst., nom. cons. -- Lindsayomyrtus B. Hyland & Steenis -- Lophomyrtus Burret -- Lophostemon Schott -- Luma A. Gray -- Lysicarpus F. Muell. -- Malleostemon J. W. Green -- Marlierea Cambess. -- Melaleuca L., nom. cons. -- Meteoromyrtus Gamble -- Metrosideros Banks ex Gaertn., nom. cons. -- Micromyrtus Benth. -- Mitranthes O. Berg -- Mitrantia Peter G. Wilson & B. Hyland -- Monimiastrum J. Guého & A. J. Scott -- Mosiera Small -- Mozartia Urb. -- Myrceugenia O. Berg -- Myrcia DC. ex Guill. -- Myrcianthes O. Berg -- Myrciaria O. Berg -- Myrrhinium Schott -- Myrtastrum Burret -- Myrtella F. Muell. -- Myrteola O. Berg, nom. cons. -- Myrtus L. -- Neofabricia Joy Thomps. -- Neomitranthes D. Legrand -- Neomyrtus Burret -- Ochrosperma Trudgen -- Octamyrtus Diels -- Osbornia F. Muell. -- Pericalymma (Endl.) Endl. -- Petraeomyrtus Craven -- Phymatocarpus F. Muell. -- Pileanthus Labill. -- Pilidiostigma Burret -- Piliocalyx Brongn. & Gris, nom. cons. -- Pimenta Lindl. -- Pleurocalyptus Brongn. & Gris -- Plinia L. -- Pseudanamomis Kausel -- Pseudeugenia D. Legrand & Mattos, nom. illeg.? -- Psidium L. -- Psiloxylon Thouars ex Tul. -- Purpureostemon Gugerli -- Pyrenocarpa Hung T. Chang & R. H. Miao -- Regelia Schauer -- Rhodamnia Jack -- Rhodomyrtus (DC.) Rchb. -- Rinzia Schauer -- Ristantia Peter G. Wilson & J. T. Waterh. -- Scholtzia Schauer -- Siphoneugena O. Berg -- Sphaerantia Peter G. Wilson & B. Hyland -- Stereocaryum Burret -- Stockwellia D. J. Carr et al. -- Syncarpia Ten. -- Syzygium R. Br. ex Gaertn., nom. cons. -- Tepualia Griseb. -- Thryptomene Endl., nom. cons. -- Triplarina Raf. -- Tristania R. Br. -- Tristaniopsis Brongn. & Gris -- Ugni Turcz. -- Uromyrtus Burret -- Verticordia DC., nom. cons. -- Waterhousea B. Hyland -- Welchiodendron Peter G. Wilson & J. T. Waterh. -- Whiteodendron Steenis -- Xanthomyrtus Diels -- Xanthostemon F. Muell., nom. cons.
References specific to this family
Cronquist page 639. Clarkson, J.R. & J. Thompson. 1989. A revision of the genus Neofabricia (Myrtaceae). Telopea 3:291–300; Thompson, J. 1989. A revision of the genus Leptospermum (Myrtaceae). Telopea 3:301–449.
General references
Baillon, H.E. 1866–95. Histoire des plantes, 13 vols. Hachette and Co., Paris, Corner, E.J.H. 1976. The seeds of Dicots, esp. vol. 2. Cambridge University Press, New York, Cronquist, A. 1981. An integrated system of classification of flowering plants, 1,262 p. Columbia University Press, New York, Engler, A. and K. Prantl. 1924 and onward. Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilimien. W. Engelman, Leipzig, Gaertner, J. 1788–1805. De fructibus et seminibus plantarum. The Author, Stuttgart, Goldberg, A. 1986 (dicots) and 1989 (monocots). Classification, evolution, and phylogeny of the familes of Dicotyledons. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 58 for dicots (314 pp.) and 71 for monocots (74 pp.). [Goldberg's illustrations are reproduced from older publications and these should be consulted], Gunn, C.R., J.H. Wiersema, C.A. Ritchie, and J.H. Kirkbride, Jr. 1992 and amendments. Families and genera of Spermatophytes recognized by the Agricultural Research Service. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1796:1–500, LeMaout, E. and J. Decaisne. 1876. A general system of botany, 1,065 p. Longmans, Green, and Co., London, Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The plant-book, 706 p. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Morley, B.D. and H.R. Toelken, eds. 1983. Flowering Plants in Australia, 416 pp. Rigby, Adelaide, Roosmalen, M.G.M. van. 1985. Fruits of the Guianan flora, 483 pp. Institute of Systematic Botany, Wageningen Agricultural University. Drukkerij Veenman B.V., Wageningen, Schopmeyer, C.S. 1974. Seeds of Woody plants in the United States. Agric. Handb. 450:1–883, Spjut, R.W. 1994. A systematic treatment of fruit types. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 70:1–182, Wood, C.E., Jr. 1974. A student's atlas of flowering plants: Some dicotyledons of eastern North America, 120 pp. Harper and Row, New York.
Illustrations
Poor fruit and acceptable seed illustrations. Disseminule illustration(s): fruit, or seed, or embryo. Fruit illustration(s): Cronquist, Wood, Jr., Engler & Prantl, LeMaout & Decaisne, Roosmalen, Baillon, Gunn & Ritchie. Seed illustration(s): Cronquist, Wood, Jr., Engler & Prantl, Gunn & Ritchie, Schopmeyer. Embryo illustration(s): Engler & Prantl, Baillon, Gunn & Ritchie, Schopmeyer, Corner.
• Seed. 1 of 21. Acca sellowiana (O. Berg) Burret: seeds. • Seed. 2 of 21. Leptospermum leuhmannii Bailey: seeds. • Fruit. 3 of 21. Callistemon citrinus (Curtis) Skeels: fruit. • Seed. 4 of 21. Callistemon citrinus (Curtis) Skeels: seeds. • Fruit. 5 of 21. Eucalyptus punctata DC.: dehisced fruit. • Seed. 6 of 21. Eucalyptus punctata DC.: seeds. • Fruit. 7 of 21. Eugenia brasiliensis Lam.: fruit. • Seed. 8 of 21. Eugenia brasiliensis Lam.: seed. • Seed. 9 of 21. Melaleuca uncinata R. Br.: seeds. • Seed. 10 of 21. Metrosideros tomentosa A. Rich.: seeds. • Fruit. 11 of 21. Myrtus communis L.: fruit. • Seed. 12 of 21. Myrtus communis L.: seeds. • Fruit. 13 of 21. Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr.: fruit. • Seed. 14 of 21. Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr.: seeds. • Seed. 15 of 21. Psidium guajava L.: seeds. • Embryo. 16 of 21. Eucalyptus ferruginea Schauer.: embryo. • Embryo. 17 of 21. Eucalyptus populnea F. Muell.: embryo. • Embryo. 18 of 21. Eucalyptus tetragona (R. Br.) F. Muell.: embryo. • Embryo. 19 of 21. Melaleuca leucadendra (L.) L.: embryo. • Embryo. 20 of 21. Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk.: embryo. • Embryo. 21 of 21. Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels: embryo.
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘J.H. Kirkbride, Jr., C.R. Gunn, and M.J. Dallwitz. 2000 onwards. Family guide for fruits and seeds: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. Version: 12th April 2021. delta-intkey.com’.
