Myoporum.
Family Scrophulariaceae.
Myoporum is seen in Scrophulariaceae or (with Eremophila) in Myoporaceae.
There are around 30 species with about 17 native to Australia and 6 found in S. E Queensland.
Commonly known as Boobialla with descriptive names such as Sticky, Weeping and Mountain.
A number of species are cultivated as ornamentals and there are some cultivars.
They are mostly evergreen shrubs with some small trees and a few prostrate plants.
Leaves are linear to ovate to obovate and they can be fleshy or leathery.
There is usually no definite petiole as the blade tapers at the base.
There may be small nodules on the surface and the edges can be smooth or toothed.
Inflorescences are 1 to 12 axillary flowers.
Flowers are bisexual, bell-shaped and under 1 cm long.
The 5 sepals, up to 4 mm long, are usually joined for up to half their length with pointed lobes.
The bases of the 5 petals form a short corolla tube with spreading lobes.
There are often hairs in the throat and sometimes on the lobes.
Flowers are mostly radially symmetric but can be slightly bilabiate.
Mostly white or sometimes pinkish there are often small purple spots.
The 4 stamens are inserted into the corolla tube.
The straight or slightly curved filaments hold the anthers in, or just beyond the tube.
The superior ovary has 2 or 4 locules each with 1 or 3 ovules.
The single style holds a simple stigma.
The fruit are drupes under 1 cm with a single, hard seed inside a usually fleshy covering.
When ripe they can be a greenish yellow, pink or deep purple to black.
J.F.
