Myrtaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Myrtus communis

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

3/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Myrtus communis is a much-branched, evergreen shrub or small tree that usually grows around 1.5 - 2 metres tall, though it can in time reach 4 - 6 metres[ 352 Title KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder Publication Author Website http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Year 0 ISBN Description Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone. ].. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is cultivated on a commercial basis for its essential oils in N. Africa, and is often grown as an ornamental, culinary and medicinal plant in gardens, where it can be used as a hedge. Myrtus communis is a widespread and common species that is a significant constituent of the Mediterranean maquis vegetation. It is suspected not to have any significant ongoing threats and any population declines in some areas are likely to be balanced by increases in others, for example, as a component in the vegetation colonising abandoned agricultural fields. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2018)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeMacaronesia, through the Mediterranean and southwest Asia to Pakistan; northeast Africa - Ethiopia and Eritrea to Yemen

HabitatScrub, avoiding calcareous soils[ 50 Title Flora Europaea Publication Author ? Publisher Cambridge University Press Year 1964 ISBN - Description An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader. ]. A common constituent of Mediterranean maquis vegetation, and pine and oak woodland understorey, also colonising abandoned fields; at elevations up to 1,000 metres[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. , 1548 Title Flora Iberica Publication Author Website http://www.floraiberica.es Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Published in book form, the treatments of the various species have also been released on-line in PDF format. Records entered here are all from the on-line PDFs. ].