Species profile—Micromyrtus patula
Classification
Plantae (plants) → Equisetopsida (land plants) → Myrtaceae → Micromyrtus patula
Sighting data
Species details
- Kingdom
- Plantae (plants)
- Class
- Equisetopsida (land plants)
- Family
- Myrtaceae
- Scientific name
- Micromyrtus patula A.R.Bean
- WildNet taxon ID
- 5657
- Alternate name(s)
- waaje micromyrtus
- Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
- Vulnerable
- Conservation significant
- Yes
- Confidential
- No
- Endemicity
- Native
- Pest status
- Nil
- Short Notes
- status annotated by author
- Description
- Micromyrtus patula is a shrub growing from 2 to 2.5 m tall. The branchlets are spreading, not pendulous. The bark is grey, loose and fibrous at the base of large plants, otherwise closely adhering, with shallow longitudinal fissures. The stem flanges are grey, convex, not winged, not warty, with the margins entire. The leaves are opposite, imbricate, linear to oblanceolate, 2 to 2.8 mm by 0.5 to 0.8 mm, concavo-convex; the dorsal surface is not keeled, is glabrous with oil glands prominent and the apex acute. The petioles are absent. The flowers are pentamerous (in 5 parts), rarely hexamerous (in 6 parts), they are 2.2 to 2.6 mm across, solitary, axillary, with peduncles 0.5 to 0.7 mm long; bracteoles 2, conduplicate, membranous, acute, 0.5 to 0.9 mm long, deciduous or persistent. The hypanthium is obconical, straight, 1.2 to 1.5 mm long by about 1mm across at the distal end; there are 5 ribs, branching towards the calyx lobes. There are 5 (6) calyx lobes which are inconspicuous, obtuse, 0.1 to 0.2 mm by 0.5 to 0.6 mm, transparent, with the margins entire. The 5 (6) petals are orbiculare and about 1 by 1mm, keeled, white with oil glands prominent on the outer surface; margins entire. The disc is flat or convex and perpendicular. There are 5 (6) stamens, opposite the petals; filaments terete, 0.3-0.5 mm long; the anthers are versatile, bilocular, stomia linear, parallel; connective gland ovoid, almost as long as the anthers, with two lateral lobes. The style is terete, about 0.3 mm long, the stigma is capitate. There are 7 to 9 ovules, usually 8, radially arranged around a small apical placenta. The fruits and seeds have not been seen (Bean, 1997).
Micromyrtus patula is closely related to M. delicata, but differs from that by its straight hypanthium, perpendicular floral disc, calyx lobes with entire margins and its mostly 9 ovular flowers (Bean, 1997). - Map
- View Map
- Distribution
- Micromyrtus patula is only known from the type locality at Barakula State Forest. (Bean, 1997; Queensland Herbarium, 2012).
- Distributional limits
- -26.15, 150.3452777
-26.1537778, 150.3475 - Range derivation
- Range derived from extent of the taxon's verified records
- Habitat
- Micromyrtus patula grows in heathland on an almost flat, rocky platform of laterised sandstone on skeletal soil. It is associated with stunted specimens of Eucalyptus exserta and E. tenuipes, as well as Kardomia jucunda, Acacia julifera subsp. julifera, Seringia corollata and Melaleuca thymifolia (Bean 1997; Queensland Herbarium, 2012).
- Reproduction
- Flowers have been collected in March and September (Queensland Herbarium, 2011).
- Threatening processes
- The species is under threat from roadworks and changing fire regimes (Bean, 1997). At the type locality, there are about 200 plants of reproductive age covering an area of about 0.5 hectares. It seems unlikely that sizeable populations will be found elsewhere, as the habitat is very specialised (Bean 1997).
- Status notes
- Micromyrtus patula is listed as Endangered under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992.
- Notes
- Occurs in the following Queensland pastoral district: Burnett.
- References
- Bean, A.R. (1997). A revision of Micromyrtus Benth. (Myrtaceae) in Queensland. Austrobaileya 4 (4): 458-460.
Queensland Herbarium (2012). Specimen label information. Queensland Herbarium. Accessed 20/03/2012. - Profile author
- Ronald Booth (19/03/2012)
Other resources
Data source
This profile data is sourced from the QLD Wildlife Data API using the Get species by ID function used under CC-By 4.0.
https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species/?op=getspeciesbyid&taxonid=5657.
This information is sourced from the WildNet database managed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.
