Myrsine Howittiana

Myrsine howittiana, the brush muttonwood or muttonwood, is a shrub or small tree in the family Primulaceae. The species is endemic to eastern Australia.It grows to between 3 and 10 metres in height and has smooth, often whitish, bark. The buds of new growth are covered with rusty-coloured hairs. The leaves are obovate to elliptic in shape and between 4 and 13 cm long and 2 to 4 cm wide. These are shiny with wavy edges and a duller undersurface and have petioles that are 7 to 14 mm in length. Greenish-white to cream flowers are produced in spring and summer. These are followed by blue or mauve fruits which are 5 to 7 mm in diameter and ripen between December and June.The species is pollinated by a thrips (thunderfly), Thrips setipennis. The species occurs from southern Victoria (37° S), northwards through New South Wales to Fraser Island (25° S) in Queensland often in areas where rainforest interfaces with moist open forest.

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