Archirhodomyrtus beckleri (F.Muell.) A.J.Scott

Myrtaceae

Scott, A.J. (1978) Kew Bulletin 33: 326.

Beckler's Myrtle; Myrtle, Small Leaved; Myrtle, Beckler's; Small Leaved Myrtle; Pink Myrtle; Myrtle, Pink; Myrtle, Rose; Rose Myrtle

Usually a small tree not exceeding 30 cm dbh but also flowers and fruits as a shrub.

Lateral veins scarcely visible on either the upper or lower surface of the leaf blades. Oil dots of two types, one +/- translucent and the other brown and confined to the upper surface of the leaf blade. Intramarginal vein difficult to distinguish but located well inside the margin. Stipules small, linear and inconspicuous.

Yellow oil glands on the outer surface of the sepals and petals. Petals about 11 mm long. Staminal filaments cream but sometimes mauve or pale pink particularly towards the base.

Fruits globular, about 5 mm diam., calyx lobes persistent at the apex, pedicels long and slender. Seeds about 20-40, transversely oriented but arranged in vertical stacks in the fruit. Testa colliculate.

Cotyledons +/- cordate about 3-3.5 x 2.5 mm. Oil dots not apparent, stipules small and inconspicuous. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade elliptic, lateral veins forming an intramarginal vein well inside the blade margin; oil dots visible with a lens; stipules small, linear and inconspicuous. Seed germination time 22 to 89 days.

Endemic to Australia, occurs in NEQ, CEQ and southwards to coastal central New South Wales. Altitudinal range in NEQ from near sea level to 1150 m. Grows in rain forest on a variety of sites. It also grows on the edge of rain forest and as an understory tree in wet sclerophyll forest dominated by Rose Gum (Eucalyptus grandis). This species is favoured by disturbance and is a typical regrowth species.

Rhodomyrtus beckleri (F.Muell.) L.S.Sm., Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 67: 37(1956). Myrtus beckleri F.Muell., Fragm. 2: 85(1860), Type: New South Wales, Clouds Creek, Clarence River, Beckler s. n.; iso: K. Rhodomyrtus cymiflora (F.Muell.) Benth., Flora Australiensis 3: 273(1867). Pilidiostigma parviflorum Burret, Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 15: 549(1941), Type: New South Wales, Ellenborough Falls, 1904, Boorman s. n.; holo: B. Myrtus cymiflora F.Muell., Fragm. 5: 12(1865), Type: Queensland, Seaview Range, Rockingham Bay, Dallachy s. n.; iso: K.