''Micromyrtus placoides'' is a species of the flowering plant in the family

Myrtaceae Myrtaceae (), the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All ...

and is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the inland areas of Western Australia. It is a shrub with

glabrous Glabrousness () is the technical term for a lack of hair, down, setae, trichomes, or other such covering. A glabrous surface may be a natural characteristic of all or part of a plant or animal, or be due to loss because of a physical condition, ...

, oblong to almost round leaves, white flowers in diameter, and 10

stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

s in each flower.

Description

''Micromyrtus placoides'' is a shrub that typically grows to high and more than wide, with several stems or branches from its base. Its leaves are oblong to almost round, long and wide on a petiole about long. The flowers are in diameter, and arranged in between 4 and 7 upper leaf axils on a peduncle long. The

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s are egg-shaped, wide and green with deep reddish-brown to white edges. The petals are white, broadly egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base and about long. There are 10 stamens in each flower with 5 almost half-way down the

hypanthium In angiosperms, a hypanthium or floral cup is a structure where basal portions of the Sepal, calyx, the petal, corolla, and the stamens form a cup-shaped tube. It is sometimes called a floral tube, a term that is also used for corolla tube and cal ...

, the

anthers The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filamen ...

about long. Flowering occurs between July and September.

Taxonomy

''Micromyrtus placoides'' was first formally described in 2006 by Barbara Lynette Rye in the journal '' Nuytsia'' from specimens collected by Malcolm Eric Trudgen near Tallering Peak in 1978. The

specific epithet In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

(''placoides'') means "plate-like", referring to the hypanthium.

Distribution and habitat

This species occurs in a similar habitat to '' M. acuta'', possibly also on granite, and occurs near Tallatering Peak and near Cue in the Murchison and Yalgoo biogeographic regions of inland Western Australia.

Conservation status

''Micromyrtus placoides'' is listed as " Priority Three" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15372241 placoides Endemic flora of Western Australia Myrtales of Australia Rosids of Western Australia Vulnerable flora of Australia Plants described in 2006 Taxa named by Barbara Lynette Rye