Myoporum laetum Forst. f.   Myoporaceae (Myoporum Family)   New Zealand   Myoporum

                                        February Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Perennial bushy shrub or small tree to 6 m. tall; lvs. lanceolate, 5-10 cm. long, finely serrate above the middle, bright green, shining, almost fleshy, with pellucid glands; fls. 2-6 in a fascicle, white with purple spots, 8-16 mm. across, the lobes rounded and hairy inside; drupe reddish-purple.

Habitat:  Escape from cultivation.  Frost free areas of southern Calif.  Naturalized is southern California.   Munz, Flora So. Calif. does not give a bloom period; Sunset New Western Garden Book, 1984 edition, 378, says summer, however, I have photographed the blooms in Feb.

Name:  Greek, myein, to close and poros, a pore, from the translucent dots on the lvs.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 576).  Latin, laet, abundant, pleasing.  (Jaeger 135).

General:  Common in the study area.  Photographed on the west side of the Delhi Ditch and at Big Canyon.  In recent years this plant has become an invasive pest, crowding out native trees and shrubs. (my comments).     Related to the Scrophulariaceae and the Verbenaceae, the distinctive characters being the presence of oil glands, the few ovules and the pendulous seeds.  (Bailey 925).      About 30 species: especially Australia.  Commonly cultivated near the coast.  Leaves and fruit may be fatal to livestock.  (Hickman, Ed. 765).  Naturalized in California.  (Hickman, Ed. 1344).

Text Ref:  Bailey 925; Hickman, Ed. 765; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 576; Roberts 29.

Photo Ref:  Jan 2 84 #5; Feb 3 84 # 5; June 2 06 #14A.

Identity: by R. De Ruff

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 84.

No plant specimen.

Last edit 7/16/06.

                              June Photo                                                                                       January Photo