Myoporum insulare
Encyclopedia
Myoporum insulare is a shrub or small tree which occurs on dunes and coastal cliffs in Australia
. Common names include Common Boobialla, Boobialla, Native Juniper and, in Western Australia
, Blueberry Tree.
It has thick, smooth green leaves which are 3 to 9 cm long and 7 to 22 mm in width with edges that are either untoothed or toothed toward the apex. White flowers with purple spots appear in the leaf axils in clusters of 3 to 8 and are 6 to 8 mm in diameter. Peak flowering times are July to February in Western Australia and October to December in south-eastern Australia. The smooth, rounded fruits are purple to black and 4.5 to 9 mm in diameter.
The species was first formally described by botanist Robert Brown
in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae in 1810.
, Victoria
, Tasmania
, South Australia
and Western Australia
. In New South Wales it occurs from Eden
southwards, although an isolated occurrence was recorded much further north on Brush Island
.
species, and withstands coastal winds and drought.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Common names include Common Boobialla, Boobialla, Native Juniper and, in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, Blueberry Tree.
It has thick, smooth green leaves which are 3 to 9 cm long and 7 to 22 mm in width with edges that are either untoothed or toothed toward the apex. White flowers with purple spots appear in the leaf axils in clusters of 3 to 8 and are 6 to 8 mm in diameter. Peak flowering times are July to February in Western Australia and October to December in south-eastern Australia. The smooth, rounded fruits are purple to black and 4.5 to 9 mm in diameter.
The species was first formally described by botanist Robert Brown
Robert Brown (botanist)
Robert Brown was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope...
in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae in 1810.
Distribution
Myoporum insulare occurs in New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. In New South Wales it occurs from Eden
Eden, New South Wales
Eden is a coastal town in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The town, south of the state capital Sydney near the border with Victoria, is located between Nullica Bay to the south and Calle Calle Bay, the northern reach of Twofold Bay, and built on undulating land adjacent to a...
southwards, although an isolated occurrence was recorded much further north on Brush Island
Brush Island
Brush Island is an island nature reserve lying off the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. It lies about 2 km south-east of the coastal village of Bawley Point. It has an unmanned lighthouse. The island was made a nature reserve in 1963 and is important for breeding seabirds...
.
Cultivation
Myoporum insulare may be used as a fast growing hedge or windbreakWindbreak
A windbreak or shelterbelt is a plantation usually made up of one or more rows of trees or shrubs planted in such a manner as to provide shelter from the wind and to protect soil from erosion. They are commonly planted around the edges of fields on farms. If designed properly, windbreaks around a...
species, and withstands coastal winds and drought.