[Genus Myrcia and Greek anthos, flower, alluding to resemblance]

Fred R. Barrie

Trees or shrubs, glabrous or pubescent, hairs simple. Leaves opposite; blade venation brochidodromous. Inflorescences 1 or 3–7(–14)-flowered, axillary, solitary flowers or dichasia. Flowers 4- or 5-merous, sessile (terminal flowers) or pedicellate (lateral flowers); hypanthium obconic, not prolonged beyond summit of ovary, base not attenuate; calyx lobes distinct, about equal or 1 smaller; petals white, convex; stamens 100–150[–300]; ovary 2- or 3-locular; ovules 8–20. Fruits berries, purplish black, globose or ovoid, crowned by persistent, erect calyx. Seeds 1–4, reniform; seed coat thin, papery; embryo subreniform to subglobose; cotyledons distinct, plano-convex; hypocotyl terete, ca. 1/2 as long as cotyledons; plumule usually evident in mature seeds, much shorter than hypocotyl.

Species ca. 40 (1 in the flora): Florida, Mexico, West Indies, Bermuda, Central America, South America.

Lower Taxon

• Myrcianthes fragrans (Swartz) McVaugh