Myrceugenia leptospermoides

Description

Myrceugenia leptospermoides grows to a height of about 3 m (10 ft).The bark is pale greyish-brown and the small leaves are in opposite pairs.The twigs are densely pubescent when they first grow but soon lose their hairs.The leaves are up to 15 mm (1 in) long and 3 mm (0.1 in) broad,oblong or linear with bluntly-pointed tips,and with entire margins.They are greyish-green above and yellowish-green below,with a fairly prominent midrib on the underside.The flowers,which grow in the axils of the leaves,are solitary and have short stems.The calyx lobes are sometimes hairy and the six petals are white.In the centre of the flower there is a boss of sixty to ninety stamens and a single style.The fruit is a globular berry,ripening to red and finally purple,and about 5 mm (0.2 in) in diameter.The flowering period is February to March and the fruits ripen in July and August.