Lomatia myricoides

Lomatia myricoides grows as a woody shrub or small tree, reaching {{convert|2|–|5|m|ft|abbr=on}} high, or rarely up to {{convert|8|m|ft|abbr=on}} high. The leaves are usually linear, sometimes lance-shaped or oblong, {{convert|50|–|200|mm|in|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|5|–|20|mm|in|abbr=on}} wide and have a pointed apex. They are glabrous and the leaf edges may be straight or adorned with several serrations. The flowers grow in groups in leaf axils, the groups {{convert|50|–|100|mm|in|abbr=on}} long and usually shorter than the leaves. The flowers are white, cream or greenish-yellow. Flowering occurs from December to February, and the fruits are follicles {{cvt|25–35|mm}} long containing winged seeds.{{cite web |last1=Wilson |first1=Annette J.G. |last2=Hewson |first2=Helen J. |last3=Mowatt |first3=Jane |title=Lomatia myricoides |url=https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Lomatia%20myricoides |publisher=Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. |access-date=25 February 2025}}

German botanist Karl Friedrich von Gaertner first described this species in 1807 as Embothrium myricoides in his Supplementum Carpologicae.{{cite web |title=Embothrium myricoides |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/rest/instance/apni/543910 |publisher=Australian Plant Name Index |access-date=25 February 2025}}{{cite book |last1=Gaertner |first1=Karl F. |title=Supplementum carpologiae |date=1807 |publisher=Sumtibus Carol. Frid. Enoch Richter Bibliopolae Lipsiensis |location=Leipzig |page=215 |url=https://archive.org/details/mobot31753000734712/page/n239/mode/2up |access-date=25 February 2025}} At the time, Embothrium was a wastebasket taxon to which many proteaceae were assigned.{{cite book | last = Wrigley | first = John |author2=Fagg, Murray | title = Banksias, Waratahs and Grevilleas | year = 1991 | publisher = Angus & Robertson | location = Sydney | isbn = 0-207-17277-3|page = 447}} It was given its current binomial name by Karel Domin in 1921.{{cite web |title=Lomatia myricoides |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/rest/instance/apni/518810 |publisher=Australian Plant Name Index |access-date=25 February 2025}} The species name comes from the resemblance of the leaves to those of the genus Myrica.{{cite web |title=Lomatia myricoides |url=https://anpsa.org.au/plant_profiles/lomatia-myricoides/ |publisher=Australian Native Plants Society (Australia) |access-date=25 February 2025}} (The suffix -oides means "likeness" in Latin.){{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=Roland Wilbur|title=The Composition of Scientific Words|date=1956|publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press|location=Washington, D.C.|page =483}} Common names include river lomatia, mountain beech and long-leaf lomatia.

Hybrids have been recorded with tree lomatia (Lomatia fraseri) on the Southern Tablelands, with native holly (L. ilicifolia) on the New South Wales south coast,{{cite web |url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Lomatia~ilicifolia |title=Lomatia ilicifolia |access-date=21 December 2012 |author= Harden, Gwen J.|work= PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia}} and with crinkle bush (L. silaifolia) on the New South Wales Central Coast and Central Tablelands.{{cite web |url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Lomatia~silaifolia |title=Lomatia silaifolia |access-date=21 December 2012 |author= Harden, Gwen J.|work= PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia}} Analysis of chloroplast DNA showed that there is extensive hybridization between the five species (L. arborescens, L. fraseri, L. ilicifolia, L. myricoides and L. silaifolia) of mainland southeastern Australia, though each is distinct enough to warrant species status.{{cite journal|last=Milner|first=Melita|author2=Rossetto, Maurizio |author3=Crisp, Michael D. |author4= Weston, Peter H. |date=2012|title=The impact of multiple biogeographic barriers and hybridization on species-level differentiation|journal=American Journal of Botany|volume=99|issue=12|pages=2045–57 | doi=10.3732/ajb.1200327 |pmid=23221499}}

File:Lomatia myricoides JBNR3.JPG

File:Lomatia myricoides IMG 20180128 084545 (39907430792).jpg

The range is from the New South Wales Central Coast south into eastern Victoria to the Dandenong Ranges. Lomatia myricoides is found in moist sheltered areas such as riverbank forests and montane forest, on loamy or sandy alluvial, or on basalt-derived soils. Associated species along watercourses include watergum (Tristaniopsis laurina), grey myrtle (Backhousia myrtifolia), cedar wattle (Acacia elata), coachwood (Ceratopetalum apetalum), tantoon (Leptospermum polygalifolium) and coral fern (Gleichenia dicarpa). Montane trees that L. myricoides grows as an understory with include broad-leaved manna gum (Eucalyptus mannifera), broad-leaved peppermint (E. dives), as well as the shrubs daphne heath (Brachyloma daphnoides) and prickly broom heath (Monotoca scoparia).{{cite journal |last1=Benson |first1=Doug |last2=McDougall |first2=Lyn |title=Ecology of Sydney plant species |journal=Cunninghamia |date=2000 |volume=6 |issue=4 |page=1094 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/61238375#page/1110/mode/1up |access-date=25 February 2025}}

It has a woody lignotuber, from which it regenerates after bushfire. Small ants and flies forage for nectar in the flowers.

Not commonly seen in cultivation, Lomatia myricoides grows in semi-shade in situations with some moisture. It appears to tolerate Phytophthora cinnamomi.{{cite book |author1=Elliot, Rodger W. |author2=Jones, David L. |author3=Blake. Trevor |title=Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation:Volume 6 - K-M|year=1993 |publisher=Lothian Press |location=Port Melbourne |isbn=0-85091-589-9|page=232}}

Joseph Maiden reported that its wood was light and hard, and easily worked.{{cite book|last=Maiden|first=Joseph Henry|title=The useful native plants of Australia, (including Tasmania)|publisher=Turner and Henderson|location=Sydney, New South Wales|date=1889|pages=564|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12453767}}

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Category:Flora of New South Wales

Category:Flora of Victoria (state)

myricoides

Category:Proteales of Australia