Myrtus matudai

Description

Myrtus, with the common name myrtle, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae, described by Linnaeus in 1753. Over 600 names have been proposed in the genus, but nearly all have either been moved to other genera or been regarded as synonyms. The Myrtus genus has three species recognised today: 1.Myrtus communis - Common myrtle; native to the Mediterranean region in southern Europe. 2. Myrtus nivellei - Saharan myrtle; native to North Africa. The myrtle genus ( Myrtus ) is a flowering plant genus with two species in the family myrtle plants . They are evergreen shrubs or small trees that can be 5 meters high. The leaves are 3-5 cm long and aromatic. The flowers are white and have five petals. They are pollinated by insects and the seeds are spread by birds that eat the berries. The flowers can be used in potpourri , the leaves are used fresh or dried as spices and the berries can be used for liqueurs . The oil is used for perfumes . The species myrtle ( M. communis ) is common in the Mediterranean region and is also the most common species found to be grown. African myrtle ( M. nivellei ) occurs wild in northern Africa .