Phyllanthus myrtaceus Sond.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Mucandue River, Eastern Chimanimani Mts

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Erect virgate shrub up to 2.5 m tall. Leaves more or less broadly elliptic-ovate, green above, paler blue-green beneath, often with a purplish edge around the margin. Scale-leaf stipules triangular-lanceolate, 1-2 mm long, not strongly auriculate, purple-brown. Flowers unisexual, usually on different shrubs, creamy-green. Fruit depressed globose, 3-4 mm wide.
Notes:	This species is generally very similar to Phyllanthus hutchinsonianus. It differs in being normally dioecious wit less auriculate scale-leaf stipules; larger leaves with more blue-green undersides and more lateral veins (up to 12 pairs); longer pedicels on female flowers (8-14 mm) and different seeds with a silky texture and only 8-9 rows of reddish-brown tubercles.
Derivation of specific name:	myrtaceus: like a Myrtle.
Habitat:	At forest margins and in Brachystegia woodland, usually at streamsides.
Altitude range:	305 - 2250 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Known from the Chimanimani Mountains in Mozambique and Zimbabwe and KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Mozambique distribution:	MS
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Saturday 15 August 2015
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 44. Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 474. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 251. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 42. Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 154 - 155. (Includes a picture). Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Page 79. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 58. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 97.

Other sources of information about Phyllanthus myrtaceus:

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Flora of Botswana: Phyllanthus myrtaceus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Phyllanthus myrtaceus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Phyllanthus myrtaceus
African Plant Database: Phyllanthus myrtaceus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Phyllanthus myrtaceus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Phyllanthus myrtaceus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Phyllanthus myrtaceus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Phyllanthus myrtaceus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Phyllanthus myrtaceus
JSTOR Plant Science: Phyllanthus myrtaceus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Phyllanthus myrtaceus
Plants of the World Online: Phyllanthus myrtaceus
Tropicos: Phyllanthus myrtaceus
Wikipedia: Phyllanthus myrtaceus