Myrsine

Myrsine is a genus of flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. It was formerly placed in the family Myrsinaceae before this was merged into the Primulaceae. It is found nearly worldwide, primarily in tropical and subtropical areas. It contains over 280 species, including several notable radiations, such as the matipo of New Zealand and the kōlea of Hawaii (the New Zealand "black matipo", Pittosporum tenuifolium, is not related to Myrsine). In the United States, members of this genus are known as colicwood. Some species, especially M. africana, are grown as ornamental shrubs.
The leathery, evergreen leaves are simple and alternate, with smooth or toothed margins and without stipules. The one-seeded, indehiscent fruit is a thin-fleshed globose drupe. The flowers and fruits often do not develop until after leaf fall and thus appear naked on the branches. The fruits often do not mature until the year after flowering. The calyx is persistent.
The Pacific basin and New World species formerly separated in the genera Rapanea and Suttonia (distinguished from the African and Southeast Asian Myrsine sensu stricto by having the style absent and staminal tube and filaments completely adnate to the corolla) are now generally included in Myrsine.
Species
282 species are currently accepted.
Hawaiian species
Hawaiian native species include:
Myrsine degeneri (Oahu in Hawaii)
Myrsine denticulata (Kauai)
Myrsine fernseei (Mez) Hosaka (Kauai in Hawaii)
Myrsine fosbergii Hosaka (Oahu and Kauai in Hawaii)
Myrsine helleri
Myrsine juddii
Myrsine kauaiensis
Myrsine knudsenii (Rock) Hosaka (Kauai in Hawaii)
Myrsine lanaiensis
Myrsine lessertiana A.DC. – Kōlea lau nui (Hawaii)
Myrsine linearifolia
Myrsine mezii Hosaka (Kauai in Hawaii)
Myrsine petiolata Hosaka (Kauai in Hawaii)
Myrsine pukooensis
Myrsine punctata
Myrsine sandwicensis A.DC. – Kōlea lau lii (Hawaii)
Myrsine vaccinioides
Myrsine wawrae
Other selected species
Myrsine adamsonii Fosberg & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine africana L. (Africa, Southern Asia and the Azores)
Myrsine andersonii Fosbert & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine aquilonia de Lange & Heenan (North Island of New Zealand)
Myrsine argentea Heenan & de Lange (South Island of New Zealand)
Myrsine australis – Red matipo, mapou (New Zealand)
Myrsine borneensis (Borneo)
Myrsine brownii Fosbert & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine bullata Pipoly (Peru)
Myrsine ceylanica (Mez) Wadhwa (Sri Lanka)
Myrsine cheesemanii (Mez) Hemsl. ex Prain (Cook Islands)
Myrsine collina Nadeaud (Society Islands)
Myrsine cubana (Caribbean, Central America, southern Mexico, and Florida)
Myrsine diazii Pipoly (Peru)
Myrsine divaricata Cunn (New Zealand)
Myrsine falcata Nadeaud (French Polynesia)
Myrsine fasciculata (J.Moore) Fosberg & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine fusca (J.Moore) Fosberg & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine gracilissima Fosberg & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine hartii (M.L.Grant) Fosberg & Sachet (Society Islands)
Myrsine hosakae H.St.John (Pitcairn Islands)
Myrsine howittiana (F.Muell. ex Mez) Jackes (Eastern Australia)
Myrsine juergensenii (Mexico and Central America)
Myrsine kermadecensis Cheeseman (Kermadec Islands)
Myrsine laetevirens (Mez) Arechav. (subtropical South America)
Myrsine longifolia (Tahiti)
Myrsine mccomishii (Lord Howe Island)
Myrsine melanophloeos (sub-Saharan Africa)
Myrsine myrtillina (Lord Howe Island)
Myrsine naiuensis Fosberg & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine nukuhivensis Fosberg & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine obovata (J.Moore) Fosberg & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine oliveri Allan (New Zealand)
Myrsine orohenensis (J.Moore) Fosberg & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine pearcei (Mez) Pipoly (Peru)
Myrsine perakensis (Peninsular Malaysia)
Myrsine platystigma (Lord Howe Island)
Myrsine raiateensis (J.Moore) Fosberg & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine rapensis (F.Brown) Fosberg & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine reynelii Pipoly (Peru)
Myrsine richmondensis Jackes (Australia)
Myrsine rivularis (Mez) Pipoly (Peru)
Myrsine ronuiensis (M.Grant) Fosberg & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine salicina (New Zealand)
Myrsine seychellarum (Seychelles)
Myrsine sodiroana (Mez) Pipoly (Ecuador)
Myrsine striata (southwestern India)
Myrsine tahuatensis Fosbert & Sachet (French Polynesia)
Myrsine umbricola Heenan & de Lange (North Island of New Zealand)
Myrsine variabilis R.Br. (eastern Australia)
References
Ngā Tipu Aotearoa – Most recent taxonomy (only of NZ species).
Flora of New Zealand.
External links
Primulaceae genera
Pantropical flora