Austromyrtus

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|image = Austromyrtus dulcis fruit1.JPG

|image_caption = Austromyrtus dulcis

|display_parents = 2

|taxon = Austromyrtus

|authority = (Nied.) Burret

|subdivision_ranks = Species

|synonyms_ref =

|synonyms = Myrtus sect. Austromyrtus {{small|Nied.}}

}}

Austromyrtus is a genus of shrubs in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. The genus was first described in 1893 by Franz Josef Niedenzu as a section of Myrtus,{{APNI2|name=Austromyrtus|access-date=2024-12-06|id=114417}}Niedenzu, F.J. in Engler, H.G.A. & Prantl, K.A.E. (ed.) (April 1893), Myrtaceae. Die Naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien III, 7(81): 66 but in 1941 it was elevated to a genus by Max Burret.Burret, K.E.M. (1941), Myrtaceen-Studien. Notizblatt des Botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin-Dahlem 15(3): 500-501

Three species are found along the east coast of Australia in Queensland and in New South Wales, and A. mendute is endemic to New Caledonia. The fruits of A. dulcis have a hint of cinnamon flavouring. The species under this generic name in New Caledonia are being taxonomically revised and will be transferred to another genus.

Many species formerly classified in Austromyrtus are now placed in the genera Gossia and Lenwebbia. The species formerly known as Austromyrtus lasioclada, which is common in northern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland, is now known as Lenwebbia lasioclada. The former A. lotoides is now named Eugenia lotoides.{{cite web |title=Eugenia lotoides (Guillaumin) J.W.Dawson & N.Snow |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:60471647-2 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=5 March 2025}}

Four species are accepted.{{Cite web |title=Austromyrtus (Nied.) Burret {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:27422-1 |access-date=5 March 2025 |website=Plants of the World Online |language=en}}

• Austromyrtus dulcis {{small|(C.T.White) L.S.Sm.}}{{APNI | name =Austromyrtus dulcis | id =60918 }}
• Austromyrtus glabra {{small|N.Snow & Guymer}}{{APNI | name =Austromyrtus glabra | id =244271 }}
• Austromyrtus mendute {{small|(Guillaumin) Burret}}
• Austromyrtus tenuifolia {{small|(Sm.) Burret}}{{APNI | name =Austromyrtus tenuifolia | id =61083 }}