Myrsine L.

Myrsinaceae, F. K. Kupicha. Flora Zambesiaca 7:1. 1983

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens included in or exceeding corolla; filaments present, inserted at base of corolla, often on a glandular ring; anthers dehiscing by slits.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary glabrous, ovoid or ellipsoid; style well developed; stigma large, discoid, often with incised margins; placenta with few ovules in 1 row.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a globose 1–seeded fleshy drupe with crustaceous endocarp.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed subglobose, with ruminate endosperm.

Morphology General Habit

Dioecious trees and shrubs with leaves very often serrate or crenate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 4–5–merous, borne in few–flowered axillary fascicles.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals free or shortly connate at the base, marked with resin–dots, the margins usually ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals almost free or connate to the middle, marked with resin–dots, usually ciliate at the margin.

Timothy M. A. Utteridge and Laura V. S. Jennings (2022). Trees of New Guinea. Kew Publishing. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Distribution

A pantropical genus of c. 300 species; at least 23 species in New Guinea. The genera Rapanea Aubl. and Suttonia A.Rich. are now considered to be within Myrsine (see Pipoly in Sida 17: 115).

Morphology General Habit

Shrubs or small trees

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, entire or slightly dentate at the apex, often punctate throughout

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, lateral, umbellate or fasciculate, sessile or on ‘short shoots’ formed from persistent peduncles

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, 4–5(–6)-merous, bisexual or unisexual (plants monoecious, dioecious or polygamous); sepals nearly free or united, punctate, persistent; petals free on united for their length, punctate; stamens and staminodes similar, as long as the corolla lobes, filaments free or connate at the base, or adnate to the corolla tube (anthers appearing epipetalous), anthers ovate, rarely sagittate, introrse, dehiscing by longitudinal slits (rarely by subterminal pores); pistil and pistillode similar, obconic to globose; ovules few, uniseriate or rarely biseriate; style obsolete to present, tapering into stigma; stigma sub-capitate to variously lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit drupaceous, globose to ellipsoid, ovoid or subovoid, exocarp fleshy, endocarp crusty or leathery endocarp

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed 1

Ecology

The genus is found in primary forest but also some secondary habitats, especially in montane forest, subalpine and alpine shrubberies (to 4200 m), usually found in higher elevations from 1400 m to 3900 m, but also with some species found in coastal and lowland habitats from sea level.

Recognition

Myrsine species can be recognised by the relatively smaller leaves with glandular or linear punctations running through them, the inflorescences in sessile fascicles either axillary but also usually along the branches below the leaves leaving small stubby inflorescence stalks (short shoots or brachyblasts), and the 4- or 5-merous unisexual flowers.

Myrsinaceae, P. Halliday. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1984

Morphology General Habit

Shrubs or small trees, ♂, ♀ or hermaphrodite; twigs slender, variably pubescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves glabrous, entire, crenate or serrate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence axillary few-flowered clusters; peduncles very short, bract-covered; flowers pedicellate, 4-5-merous, gland-dotted

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals free or united at base, margins usually ciliate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla-lobes erect, imbricate, margins often finely erose and speckled

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens shorter to longer than the petals; filaments united at base into a collar which is adnate to the corolla-tube; anthers dorsifixed, free, usually apiculate, dehiscing by longitudinal slits

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary superior, globose or ovoid; ovules few to many in 1 row on the placenta; style short or sometimes exceeding petals; stigma large, discoid-capitate, lobed to fimbriate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a berry, small, fleshy, globose, 1-seeded with persistent calyx

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed globose, covered by remains of placenta; embryo transverse, often curved.

Myrsinaceae, F. K. Kupicha. Flora Zambesiaca 7:1. 1983

Morphology General Habit

Trees and shrubs, glabrous or pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves entire or very rarely dentate, often lepidote.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers borne in fascicles on very short lateral branches, 4–5(6–7)–merous, hermaphrodite or more usually unisexual, species often dioecious.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals free or shortly connate, often ciliate at the margin and marked with resin–dots or lines.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals almost free or connate up to 4/5 their length, often papillose at the margin, often marked with dots or lines.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens inserted in the throat of the corolla; filaments absent, the anthers sessile, dehiscing by slits.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary globose or ellipsoid; style short or absent; stigma variable in shape, elongated, scutate or capitate, often lobed or mor–chelliform; placenta with few ovules in 1 row.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit dry or fleshy, 1–seeded, with hard endocarp.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed subglobose with a basal cavity at point of attachment, the endosperm ruminate (in F.Z. species) or smooth.

Myrsinaceae, P. Halliday. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1984

Morphology General Habit

Trees or shrubs, hermaphrodite or dioecious, glabrous or pubescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves rhododendron-like, coriaceous, often scaly and clustered at ends of branches, shortly petiolate, obovate, oblong to oblanceolate, with or without gland-dots and/or visible translucent streaks, entire or very rarely toothed or spiny

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary (often in axils of fallen leaves), umbellate, small, with numerous scaly bracts

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, (4-)5-6(-7)-merous, streaked with dark lines, pedicellate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals united at base into short tube, imbricate or valvate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals recurved, rarely erect, united, usually for 1/3, occasionally more or less

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens attached at throat of corolla; anthers±sessile, oblong to triangular, introrse, splitting longitudinally, exserted, often adnate to corolla in bud

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary superior, globose to ovoid; placenta with few ovules, scattered or uniseriate; style short; stigma variable in shape

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit dry or fleshy, globose, often striate, with persistent style-base and calyx, 1-seeded

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed globose, smooth, intruded at base; endosperm horny, rarely ruminate; embryo elongate, transverse, often curved.