| Myrtus Myrtle | |
|---|---|
| |
| Myrtus communis | |
| |
| Myrtle (M. communis)[3] | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Subfamily: | Myrtoideae |
| Tribe: | Myrteae |
| Genus: | Myrtus L. |
| Type species | |
| Myrtus communis | |
| Species | |
| |
| Synonyms[4] | |
|
Myrthus Scop. | |
Myrtus (commonly called myrtle) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae. It was first described by Swedish botanist Linnaeus in 1753.[2]
Over 600 names have been proposed in the genus, but nearly all have either been moved to other genera or been regarded as synonyms. The genus Myrtus has three species recognised today:[5]
- Myrtus communis – Common myrtle; native to the Mediterranean region in southern Europe
- Myrtus nivellei – Saharan myrtle; native to North Africa
- Myrtus phyllireaefolia
- ^ lectotype designated by A.P. de Candolle, Note Myrt. 7 (1826)
- ^ a b Tropicos, Myrtus L.
- ^ 1885 illustration from Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomé Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz 1885, Gera, Germany
- ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
- ^ The Plant List, retrieved 13 August 2016