Neomyrtus pedunculata
Common names
rōhutu
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Wide-angled shrub with long pale twigs that are square in cross-section bearing small pale green oval leaves that are paler underneath and bright orange fruit hanging on a long stalk. Bark pale, smooth. Leaves dotted, 6–20 mm long by 4–15 mm wide. Flowers white, with many projecting filaments from the centre.
Flower colours
Cream, White
Detailed description
Shrub or small tree up to 8 m tall. Trunk slender, c. 0.1 m dbh. Bark pale-grey to almost silvery, chartaceous, flaking in small irregular shards. Branches few to many, upright to spreading, often openly branched. Branchlets glabrous, 4-angled, rather brittle, either sparse and so openly branched or densely and then compactly interwoven. Brachyblasts usually sparingly leafy except toward actively growing apices. Leaves opposite, coriaceous, glandular punctate, oil glands colourless, leaf lamina and petiole decurrent with branchlet; petioles 3–6 mm long, somewhat brittle; lamina 6–15–(20) × 4–10–(15) mm, obovate-oblong to obovate, adaxially glabrous, silvery green, pale green to yellow-green, red to purple-black spotted, abaxially pale silvery green to white, glabrescent (initially finely hairy, hairs sericeous, ± finely appressed, caducous). Flowers 5-merous,in axillary, usually solitary (rarely paired) monads, borne on slender, 10–15–(20) mm long pedicels. Hypanthium subturbinate, not extending beyond ovary summit, calyx lobes 5, persistent, deltoid, spreading. Petals 5–8–(10) × 6–9 mm, orbicular, white, margins entire to slightly irregular, oil glands colourless. Stamens 40–60–(80), free, in 3–4 (or more) weakly defined whorls, filaments 5–9 mm long, anthers cream, basifixed, latrorse. Ovary unilocular, weakly septate, ovules borne on 2 parietal placentas. Style 8–10 mm long, slender, white, stigma capitate, scarcely dilated. Fruit a broadly ovoid, yellow, orange or red 6–8 mm-long berry. Seeds 1–7–(11) varying in shape depending on number of seeds present per berry, mostly reniform, 1.5–2.5 mm diameter, testa brown, glossy smooth and very hard.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (from near Kaitaia (Mangamuka) south but generally scarce in Northland and Auckland), South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura.
Habitat
Coastal to montane forest and shrubland. Often a conspicuous component of the understorey of lowland Podocarp riparian forest but also an frequent component of grey scrub in some parts of the South Island. Unless flowering or fruiting Neomyrtus is often overlooked or mistaken for the superficially similar Lophomyrtus obcordata with which it often grows.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – these interim threat classification statuses has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Not Threatened
Threats
Myrtle Rust (Austropuccinia psidii) is an invasive fungus which poses a serious risk to this species - learn more myrtlerust.org.nz
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Myrtaceae
Synonyms
Myrtus pedunculata Hook.f., Eugenia vitis-idaea Raoul, Myrtus vitis-idaea (Raoul) Druce, Neomyrtus vitis-idaea (Raoul) Burret
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
Yes
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November–April
Fruiting
February–June
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed. Can also be grown from semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings though the strike rate can be variable. Neomyrtus is an attractive and remarkably hard shrub that does well when planted in a semi-shaded site, in a free draining, moist, fertile soil enriched with leaf litter and compost. It is however, rather drought tolerant and can (once established) be grown in high light situations. It is surprisingly drought tolerant. On account of its conspicuous flowers and colourful berries it is a very attractive plant that is well worth growing. Neomyrtus is, however, rarely available from garden centres.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FAC: Facultative
Commonly occurs as either a hydrophyte or non-hydrophyte (non-wetlands).
Other information
Etymology
pedunculata: Flowers stalked
Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
NEOPED
Chromosome number
2n = 22
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: DP
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
de Lange PJ, Rolfe JR, Barkla JW, Courtney SP, Champion PD, Perrie LR, Beadel SM, Ford KA, Breitwieser I, Schönberger I, Hindmarsh-Walls R, Heenan PB, Ladley K. 2018. Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 22. Department of Conservation, Wellington, NZ. 82 p. https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/science-and-technical/nztcs22entire.pdf.
Webb CJ, Simpson MJA. 2001. Seeds of New Zealand Gymnosperms and Dicotyledons. Manuka Press, Christchurch. 428 p.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 9 February 2011. Seed description which is modified from Webb & Simpson (2001). Conservation status updated by C C Ogle 25.10.19, following de Lange et al. (2018).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Neomyrtus pedunculata Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/neomyrtus-pedunculata/ (Date website was queried)