Author:
Qjure
Book:
Qjurious
Type:
Info
Chapter:
3-654.14.00
Myrtoideae
English: Myrtle family.
Clades: Myrtales; Myrtidae; Malvanae; Angiospermae; Plants.
Members: half of 142 genera; 5500 species.
Content: terpenes; monoterpenes, eucalyptol; sesquiterpenes, caryophyllene, cadinene; phenylpropanoids; tannins.
Botany
Shrubs, trees.
Stem: colourful; grouped vessels in wood; flaky bark.
Leaves: opposite, whorled; simple; entire; large; glandular dots, pellucid, intramarginal vein.
Inflorescence: variable, solitary, raceme, panicle.
Flowers: 4-merous or 5-merous; # stamens numerous, large, showy; ovary inferior.
Fruit: fleshy berries or capsules; sepals persistent.
Taxonomy
Myrtaceae is the main Family in Myrtales in the Apg3 classification. It gives the Order its name.
Plant theory
In the first version of the Plant theory Myrtaceae is placed in Subphase 4. In the second version of the Plant theory Myrtaceae is split in Myrtoideae and Eucalyptoideae, respectively placed in Subphase 4 and Subphase 5.