Myrsine porosa F.Muell.

Mueller, F.J.H. von (1865) Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 5: 108. Type: In valle fluvii Mackays River; ad torrentes montium Seaview Range, porre in convalli Dalrymples Gap. Dallachy.

Red Muttonwood; Muttonwood, Northern; Muttonwood, Red; Northern Muttonwood

Seldom exceeding 30 cm dbh. Oak grain in the wood.

Three types of oil dots visible with a lens, large translucent circular dots, large translucent streaky dots and smaller reddish dots. Leaf blades about 4.8-16 x 1.6-6.2 cm, margin often recurved near the base. Petioles about 3-7 mm long. Midrib depressed on the upper surface. Venation difficult to distinguish, about 20 veins on each side of midrib.

Flowers predominantly 5-merous. Inflorescence much shorter than the leaves and shorter than or approximating the petioles. Pedicels about 1-4 mm long. Calyx lobes marked by orange glands. Corolla tube about 0.5 mm long, corolla lobes about 2.5-3 mm long, outer surface glabrous but margins and inner surface minutely papillose. Pollen white. Ovary about 1 x 0.6-0.7 mm. Style and/or stigma pale green, about 3-4 mm long in the female flowers. Stigma broad, irregularly lobed, capitate.

Infructescence much shorter than the leaves and scarcely exceeding the petioles. Pedicels about 1.5-4 mm long. Fruits globular or depressed globular, about 4-7 x 3-5 mm. Calyx persistent at the base. Calyx usually 5-lobed. Seeds about 3 x 3 mm. Cotyledons about as wide as the radicle or slightly narrower but forming only a small part of the whole embryo.

Cotyledons ovate, about 7-11 x 6-8 mm, margins toothed with about 1-4 teeth on each side. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade elliptic, apex acute, base attenuate, teeth small, 4-7 each side of the leaf blade, glabrous; oil dots mainly translucent, numerous, visible with a lens; petiole grooved on the upper surface. Terminal bud clothed in reddish scale-like hairs. Seed germination time 86 to 88 days.

Endemic to Australia, occurs in CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards as far as southern Queensland. Altitudinal range from sea level to 1200 m. Grows in rain forest and drier, more seasonal rain forest.