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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Myrtle family
| image = Myrtus communis.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = ''Myrtus communis'' foliage and flowers
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Myrtales]]
| familia = '''Myrtaceae'''
| familia_authority = [[Antoine Laurent de Jussieu|Juss.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision =
About 130; see list
}}
The '''Myrtaceae''' or '''Myrtle family''' are a family of [[dicotyledon]] [[plant]]s, placed within the order [[Myrtales]]. [[Myrtle]], [[clove]], [[guava]], [[feijoa]], [[allspice]], and [[eucalyptus]] belong here. All species are woody, with [[essential oil]]s, and flower parts in multiples of four or five. One notable character of the family is that the [[phloem]] is located on both sides of the [[xylem]], not just outside as in most other plants. The [[leaf|leaves]] are [[evergreen]], alternate to mostly opposite, simple, and usually with an entire (not toothed) margin. The [[flower]]s have a base number of five petals, though in several genera the petals are minute or absent. The [[stamen]]s are usually very conspicuous, brightly coloured and numerous.
The family Myrtaceae has at least 3000 species distributed in 130-150 genera. They have a wide distribution in tropical and warm-temperate regions of the world, and are typically common in many of the world's [[biodiversity hotspot]]s. Genera with capsular fruits such as ''[[Eucalyptus]]'', ''[[Corymbia]]'', ''[[Angophora]]'', ''[[Leptospermum]]'', ''[[Melaleuca]]'', ''[[Metrosideros]]'' are absent from the Americas, apart from the monotypic genus ''Tepualia'' in [[Chile]]. Genera with fleshy fruits have their greatest concentrations in eastern [[Australia]] and [[Malesia]] (the [[Australasia ecozone]]) and the [[Neotropic]]s. ''Eucalyptus'' is a dominant, nearly ubiquitous genus in the more mesic parts of Australia and extends north sporadically to the [[Philippines]]. ''[[Eucalyptus regnans]]'' is the tallest flowering plant in the world. Other important Australian genera are ''[[bottlebrush|Callistemon]]'' (bottlebrushes), ''[[Syzygium]]'', and ''[[Melaleuca]]'' (paperbarks). The genus ''[[Osbornia]]'', native to Australasia, are [[mangrove]]s. ''[[Eugenia]]'', ''[[Myrcia]]'', and ''[[Calyptranthes]]'' are among the larger genera in the neotropics.
Historically, the Myrtaceae were divided into two subfamilies.
*Subfamily '''Myrtoideae''' have fleshy fruits and opposite, entire leaves. Most genera in this subfamily have one of three easily recognized types of embryos. The genera of Myrtoideae can be very difficult to distinguish in the absence of mature fruits. The Myrtoideae are found worldwide in subtropical and tropical regions, with centres of diversity in the Neotropics, northeastern Australia, and Malesia.
*Subfamily '''Leptospermoideae''' has dry, indehiscent fruits (capsules) and leaves arranged spirally or alternate. The Leptospermoideae are found mostly in Australasia, with a centre of diversity in Australia. Many genera in Western Australia have greatly reduced leaves and flowers typical of more xeric habitats.
The division of the Myrtaceae into the Leptospermoideae and Myrtoideae was challenged by a number of authors, including Johnson and Briggs (1984), who identified 14 tribes or clades within the Myrtaceae, and found the Myrtoideae to be polyphyletic. A molecular analysis by Wilson, O'Brien et al. (2001) found eleven strong groupings within the family, including many of the groupings identified by Johnson and Briggs. Further molecular analysis by Sytsma and Litt (2002) found that the Neotropic Myrtoideae grouping fit within the paraphyletic Leptopermoideae.
The genera ''[[Heteropyxis]]'' and ''[[Psiloxylon]]'', which some authorities include in Myrtaceae, are here placed as separate families by most authors, based on evidence of their divergence before the origin of the common ancestor of the Myrtaceae.
== Genera ==
{|
|- valign=top
|
*''[[Accara]]''
*''[[Acmena]]''
*''[[Acmenosperma]]''
*''[[Actinodium]]''
*''[[Agonis]]''
*''[[Allosyncarpia]]''
*''[[Amomyrtella]]''
*''[[Amomyrtus]]''
*''[[Angasomyrtus]]''
*''[[Angophora]]''
*''[[Archirhodomyrtus]]''
*''[[Arillastrum]]''
*''[[Astartea]]''
*''[[Asteromyrtus]]''
*''[[Austromyrtus]]''
*''[[Backhousia]]''
*''[[Baeckea]]''
*''[[Balaustion]]''
*''[[Barongia]]''
*''[[Basisperma]]''
*''[[Beaufortia]]''
*''[[Blepharocalyx]]''
*''[[Bottlebrush|Callistemon]]''
*''[[Calothamnus]]''
*''[[Calycolpus]]''
*''[[Calycorectes]]''
*''[[Calyptranthes]]''
*''[[Calyptrogenia]]''
*''[[Calythropsis]]''
*''[[Calytrix]]''
*''[[Campomanesia]]''
*''[[Carpolepis]]''
*''[[Chamelaucium]]''
*''[[Chamguava]]''
*''[[Choricarpia]]''
*''[[Cleistocalyx]]''
*''[[Cloezia]]''
*''[[Conothamnus]]''
*''[[Corymbia]]''
*''[[Corynanthera]]''
*''[[Cupheanthus]]''
*''[[Darwinia (plant)|Darwinia]]''
*''[[Decaspermum]]''
*''[[Eremaiea]]''
|
*''[[Eucalyptopsis]]''
*''[[Eucalyptus]]''
*''[[Eugenia]]''
*''[[Feijoa]]'' (syn. ''Acca'')
*''[[Gomidesia]]''
*''[[Gossia]]''
*''[[Hexachlamys]]''
*''[[Homalocalyx]]''
*''[[Homalospermum]]''
*''[[Homoranthus]]''
*''[[Hottea]]''
*''[[Hypocalymma]]''
*''[[Kania]]''
*''[[Kjellbergiodendron]]''
*''[[Kunzea]]''
*''[[Lamarchea]]''
*''[[Legrandia]]''
*''[[Lenwebbia]]''
*''[[Leptospermum]]''
*''[[Lindsayomyrtus]]''
*''[[Lithomyrtus]]''
*''[[Lophomyrtus]]''
*''[[Lophostemon]]''
*''[[Luma (plant)|Luma]]''
*''[[Lysicarpus]]''
*''[[Mallostemon]]''
*''[[Marlierea]]''
*''[[Melaleuca]]''
*''[[Meteoromyrtus]]''
*''[[Metrosideros]]''
*''[[Micromyrtus]]''
*''[[Mitranthes]]''
*''[[Mitrantia]]''
*''[[Monimiastrum]]''
*''[[Mosiera]]''
*''[[Myrceugenia]]''
*''[[Myrcia]]''
*''[[Myrcianthes]]''
*''[[Myrciaria]]''
*''[[Myrrhinium]]''
*''[[Myrtastrum]]''
*''[[Myrtella]]''
*''[[Myrteola]]''
|
*''[[Myrtle|Myrtus]]''
*''[[Neofabricia]]''
*''[[Neomitranthes]]''
*''[[Neomyrtus]]''
*''[[Ochrosperma]]''
*''[[Octamyrtus]]''
*''[[Osbornia]]''
*''[[Paramyrciaria]]''
*''[[Pericalymma]]''
*''[[Phymatocarpus]]''
*''[[Pileanthus]]''
*''[[Pilidiostigma]]''
*''[[Piliocalyx]]''
*''[[Pimenta]]''
*''[[Pleurocalyptus]]''
*''[[Plinia]]''
*''[[Pseudanamomis]]''
*''[[Psidium]]''
*''[[Purpureostemon]]''
*''[[Regelia]]''
*''[[Rhodamnia]]''
*''[[Rhodomyrtus]]''
*''[[Rinzia]]''
*''[[Ristantia]]''
*''[[Scholtzia]]''
*''[[Siphoneugena]]''
*''[[Sphaerantia]]''
*''[[Stereocaryum]]''
*''[[Stockwellia]]''
*''[[Syncarpia]]''
*''[[Syzygium]]''
*''[[Taxandria (plant)|Taxandria]]''
*''[[Tepualia]]''
*''[[Thryptomene]]''
*''[[Tristania]]''
*''[[Tristaniopsis]]''
*''[[Ugni]]''
*''[[Uromyrtus]]''
*''[[Verticordia]]''
*''[[Waterhousea]]''
*''[[Welchiodendron]]''
*''[[Whiteodendron]]''
*''[[Xanthomyrtus]]''
*''[[Xanthostemon]]''
|}
==References==
* [[Lawrence Alexander Sidney Johnson|Johnson, L.A.S.]] and Briggs, B.G. [[1984]]. Myrtales and Myrtaceae – a phylogenetic analysis. ''Annals of the Missouri Botanic Garden'' 71: 700-756.
* Wilson, Peter G., O'Brien, Marcelle M., Gadek, Paul A., and Quinn, Christopher J. [[2001]]. "Myrtaceae Revisited: A Reassessment of Infrafamilial Groups". ''[[American Journal of Botany]]'' 88 (11): 2013–2025. Available [http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/reprint/88/11/2013.pdf online] (pdf file).
* Sytsma, Kenneth J. and Amy Litt. [[2002]]. Tropical disjunctions in and among the Myrtaceae clade (Myrtaceae, Heteropyxidaceae, Psiloxylaceae, Vochysiaceae): Gondwanan vicariance or dispersal? (Abstract). Botany 2002 Conference, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, August 4-7 2002.
== External links ==
{{Commonscat|Myrtaceae}}
{{Wikispecies|Myrtaceae}}
[[Category:Myrtaceae| ]]
[[Category:Myrtales]]
[[Category:Plant families]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = Myrtle family
| image = Myrtus communis.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = ''Myrtus communis'' foliage and flowers
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Myrtales]]
| familia = '''Myrtaceae'''
| familia_authority = [[Antoine Laurent de Jussieu|Juss.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision =
About 130; see list
}}
The '''Myrtaceae''' or '''Myrtle family''' are a family of [[dicotyledon]] [[plant]]s, placed within the order [[Myrtales]]. [[Myrtle]], [[clove]], [[guava]], [[feijoa]], [[allspice]], and [[eucalyptus]] belong here. All species are woody, with [[essential oil]]s, and flower parts in multiples of four or five. One notable character of the family is that the [[phloem]] is located on both sides of the [[xylem]], not just outside as in most other plants. The [[leaf|leaves]] are [[evergreen]], alternate to mostly opposite, simple, and usually with an entire (not toothed) margin. The [[flower]]s have a base number of five petals, though in several genera the petals are minute or absent. The [[stamen]]s are usually very conspicuous, brightly coloured and numerous.
The family Myrtaceae has at least 3000 species distributed in 130-150 genera. They have a wide distribution in tropical and warm-temperate regions of the world, and are typically common in many of the world's [[biodiversity hotspot]]s. Genera with capsular fruits such as ''[[Eucalyptus]]'', ''[[Corymbia]]'', ''[[Angophora]]'', ''[[Leptospermum]]'', ''[[Melaleuca]]'', ''[[Metrosideros]]'' are absent from the Americas, apart from the monotypic genus ''Tepualia'' in [[Chile]]. Genera with fleshy fruits have their greatest concentrations in eastern [[Australia]] and [[Malesia]] (the [[Australasia ecozone]]) and the [[Neotropic]]s. ''Eucalyptus'' is a dominant, nearly ubiquitous genus in the more mesic parts of Australia and extends north sporadically to the [[Philippines]]. ''[[Eucalyptus regnans]]'' is the tallest flowering plant in the world. Other important Australian genera are ''[[bottlebrush|Callistemon]]'' (bottlebrushes), ''[[Syzygium]]'', and ''[[Melaleuca]]'' (paperbarks). The genus ''[[Osbornia]]'', native to Australasia, are [[mangrove]]s. ''[[Eugenia]]'', ''[[Myrcia]]'', and ''[[Calyptranthes]]'' are among the larger genera in the neotropics.
Historically, the Myrtaceae were divided into two subfamilies.
*Subfamily '''Myrtoideae''' have fleshy fruits and opposite, entire leaves. Most genera in this subfamily have one of three easily recognized types of embryos. The genera of Myrtoideae can be very difficult to distinguish in the absence of mature fruits. The Myrtoideae are found worldwide in subtropical and tropical regions, with centres of diversity in the Neotropics, northeastern Australia, and Malesia.
*Subfamily '''Leptospermoideae''' has dry, indehiscent fruits (capsules) and leaves arranged spirally or alternate. The Leptospermoideae are found mostly in Australasia, with a centre of diversity in Australia. Many genera in Western Australia have greatly reduced leaves and flowers typical of more xeric habitats.
The division of the Myrtaceae into the Leptospermoideae and Myrtoideae was challenged by a number of authors, including Johnson and Briggs (1984), who identified 14 tribes or clades within the Myrtaceae, and found the Myrtoideae to be polyphyletic. A molecular analysis by Wilson, O'Brien et al. (2001) found eleven strong groupings within the family, including many of the groupings identified by Johnson and Briggs. Further molecular analysis by Sytsma and Litt (2002) found that the Neotropic Myrtoideae grouping fit within the paraphyletic Leptopermoideae.
The genera ''[[Heteropyxis]]'' and ''[[Psiloxylon]]'', which some authorities include in Myrtaceae, are here placed as separate families by most authors, based on evidence of their divergence before the origin of the common ancestor of the Myrtaceae.
== Genera ==
{|
|- valign=top
|
*''[[Accara]]''
*''[[Acmena]]''
*''[[Acmenosperma]]''
*''[[Actinodium]]''
*''[[Agonis]]''
*''[[Allosyncarpia]]''
*''[[Amomyrtella]]''
*''[[Amomyrtus]]''
*''[[Angasomyrtus]]''
*''[[Angophora]]''
*''[[Archirhodomyrtus]]''
*''[[Arillastrum]]''
*''[[Astartea]]''
*''[[Asteromyrtus]]''
*''[[Austromyrtus]]''
*''[[Backhousia]]''
*''[[Baeckea]]''
*''[[Balaustion]]''
*''[[Barongia]]''
*''[[Basisperma]]''
*''[[Beaufortia]]''
*''[[Blepharocalyx]]''
*''[[Bottlebrush|Callistemon]]''
*''[[Calothamnus]]''
*''[[Calycolpus]]''
*''[[Calycorectes]]''
*''[[Calyptranthes]]''
*''[[Calyptrogenia]]''
*''[[Calythropsis]]''
*''[[Calytrix]]''
*''[[Campomanesia]]''
*''[[Carpolepis]]''
*''[[Chamelaucium]]''
*''[[Chamguava]]''
*''[[Choricarpia]]''
*''[[Cleistocalyx]]''
*''[[Cloezia]]''
*''[[Conothamnus]]''
*''[[Corymbia]]''
*''[[Corynanthera]]''
*''[[Cupheanthus]]''
*''[[Darwinia (plant)|Darwinia]]''
*''[[Decaspermum]]''
*''[[Eremaiea]]''
|
*''[[Eucalyptopsis]]''
*''[[Eucalyptus]]''
*''[[Eugenia]]''
*''[[Feijoa]]'' (syn. ''Acca'')
*''[[Gomidesia]]''
*''[[Gossia]]''
*''[[Hexachlamys]]''
*''[[Homalocalyx]]''
*''[[Homalospermum]]''
*''[[Homoranthus]]''
*''[[Hottea]]''
*''[[Hypocalymma]]''
*''[[Kania]]''
*''[[Kjellbergiodendron]]''
*''[[Kunzea]]''
*''[[Lamarchea]]''
*''[[Legrandia]]''
*''[[Lenwebbia]]''
*''[[Leptospermum]]''
*''[[Lindsayomyrtus]]''
*''[[Lithomyrtus]]''
*''[[Lophomyrtus]]''
*''[[Lophostemon]]''
*''[[Luma (plant)|Luma]]''
*''[[Lysicarpus]]''
*''[[Mallostemon]]''
*''[[Marlierea]]''
*''[[Melaleuca]]''
*''[[Meteoromyrtus]]''
*''[[Metrosideros]]''
*''[[Micromyrtus]]''
*''[[Mitranthes]]''
*''[[Mitrantia]]''
*''[[Monimiastrum]]''
*''[[Mosiera]]''
*''[[Myrceugenia]]''
*''[[Myrcia]]''
*''[[Myrcianthes]]''
*''[[Myrciaria]]''
*''[[Myrrhinium]]''
*''[[Myrtastrum]]''
*''[[Myrtella]]''
*''[[Myrteola]]''
|
*''[[Myrtle|Myrtus]]''
*''[[Neofabricia]]''
*''[[Neomitranthes]]''
*''[[Neomyrtus]]''
*''[[Ochrosperma]]''
*''[[Octamyrtus]]''
*''[[Osbornia]]''
*''[[Paramyrciaria]]''
*''[[Pericalymma]]''
*''[[Phymatocarpus]]''
*''[[Pileanthus]]''
*''[[Pilidiostigma]]''
*''[[Piliocalyx]]''
*''[[Pimenta]]''
*''[[Pleurocalyptus]]''
*''[[Plinia]]''
*''[[Pseudanamomis]]''
*''[[Psidium]]''
*''[[Purpureostemon]]''
*''[[Regelia]]''
*''[[Rhodamnia]]''
*''[[Rhodomyrtus]]''
*''[[Rinzia]]''
*''[[Ristantia]]''
*''[[Scholtzia]]''
*''[[Siphoneugena]]''
*''[[Sphaerantia]]''
*''[[Stereocaryum]]''
*''[[Stockwellia]]''
*''[[Syncarpia]]''
*''[[Syzygium]]''
*''[[Taxandria (plant)|Taxandria]]''
*''[[Tepualia]]''
*''[[Thryptomene]]''
*''[[Tristania]]''
*''[[Tristaniopsis]]''
*''[[Ugni]]''
*''[[Uromyrtus]]''
*''[[Verticordia]]''
*''[[Waterhousea]]''
*''[[Welchiodendron]]''
*''[[Whiteodendron]]''
*''[[Xanthomyrtus]]''
*''[[Xanthostemon]]''
|}
==References==
* [[Lawrence Alexander Sidney Johnson|Johnson, L.A.S.]] and Briggs, B.G. [[1984]]. Myrtales and Myrtaceae – a phylogenetic analysis. ''Annals of the Missouri Botanic Garden'' 71: 700-756.
* Wilson, Peter G., O'Brien, Marcelle M., Gadek, Paul A., and Quinn, Christopher J. [[2001]]. "Myrtaceae Revisited: A Reassessment of Infrafamilial Groups". ''[[American Journal of Botany]]'' 88 (11): 2013–2025. Available [http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/reprint/88/11/2013.pdf online] (pdf file).
* Sytsma, Kenneth J. and Amy Litt. [[2002]]. Tropical disjunctions in and among the Myrtaceae clade (Myrtaceae, Heteropyxidaceae, Psiloxylaceae, Vochysiaceae): Gondwanan vicariance or dispersal? (Abstract). Botany 2002 Conference, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, August 4-7 2002.
== External links ==
{{Commonscat|Myrtaceae}}
{{Wikispecies|Myrtaceae}}
[[Category:Myrtaceae| ]]
[[Category:Myrtales]]
[[Category:Plant families]]