Myoporum stokesii

Myoporum stokesii is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the island of Raivavae in French Polynesia. It is similar to the two other members of its genus on the island, Myoporum rapense and Myoporum rimatarense although the former has serrated leaves and the latter has wider leaves and differently shaped fruits.

Myoporum stokesii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Myoporum
Species:
M. stokesii
Binomial name
Myoporum stokesii

Description

Myoporum stokesii is a shrub or small tree sometimes growing to a height of 5 metres (20 ft) with young branches that are flattened or three-sided. The older branches are wrinkled and have raised leaf bases. The leaves are arranged alternately and are mostly 45–80 millimetres (2–3 in) long, 9–17 millimetres (0.4–0.7 in) wide, the same colour on both surfaces and have a distinct mid-vein on the lower surface.[2]

The flowers are borne singly or in pairs in the axils of leaves on a stalk 7–15 millimetres (0.3–0.6 in) long and have 5 pointed sepals and 5 petals forming a tube or bell-shape. The tube is 5–6 millimetres (0.20–0.24 in) long with lobes about the same length or slightly shorter. The tube is white, sometimes spotted and is hairy inside and on the inner parts of the lobes. There are four stamens which extend beyond the petal tube. The fruits is a three or four-sided, cone-shaped drupe.[2]

Taxonomy

Myoporum stokesii was first formally described in 1935 by Forest B. H. Brown and the description was published in Bernice P. Bishop Museum Bulletin.[1] The specific epithet stokesii honours the collector of the type specimen, A.M. Stokes.[2]

Distribution and habitat

Myoporum stokesii is only found on Raivavae where it grows on rocky hillsides.[2]

Conservation

Myoporum stokesii is listed as "critically endangered" in the IUCN Red List.[3]

References
  1. "Myoporum stokesii". APNI. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  2. Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 139–140. ISBN 9781877058165.
  3. Florence, J. "Myoporum stokesii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
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