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Myrteola nummularia

Common name:		Family:	Myrtaceae
Author:	(Poir.)O.Berg.	Botanical references:	11, 69, 200
Synonyms:	Myrtus nummularia (Poir.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	S. America - S. Chile, Falklands.
Habitat:	Raised parts of bogs, especially with sphagnum[69].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	4	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	nummularia = coin shaped;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Myrtales. Myrtle family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen shrub growing to 0.1m by 0.5m at a slow rate. It is hardy to zone 8. It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from November to December. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 4/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds, Ground Cover.

Edible Uses

Fruit; Tea.

Fruit - raw or cooked. A sweet and agreeable flavour[2, 105]. The fruit is up to 1cm in diameter, it has a soft juicy flesh and a delicious slightly aromatic flavour[K]. It is produced in late autumn and early winter, and is a very valuable fruit at this time of the year[K].
The leaves are a tea substitute[177].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Ground cover.

Suitable for ground cover when spaced about 45cm apart each way, the plants form a carpet of low branches that root as they spread[208]. Plants are a bit slow to become established and will need weeding for their first few years after planting[K].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in any reasonably good soil[1] including dry ones. Prefers a moderately fertile well-drained loam in a sunny position[11, 200]. Prefers a cool position according to another report. Tolerates maritime exposure[182].
This species is not very hardy when grown outdoors in Britain, succeeding to the south and west of London[11]. A group of plants in a sunny position on a rock garden at Kew Gardens seem to be perfectly happy and hardy, producing a reasonable crop of fruit in December 1996[K].
A good carpeting plant for moist stones etc in a rockery[11].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow it in late winter in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts[K].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Pot up in the autumn and overwinter in a cold frame. Plant out in late spring. High percentage[78].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, 7 - 12cm with a heel, November in a shaded and frost free frame. Plant out in late spring or early autumn. High percentage[78].
Layering.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for Myrtus nummularia (a possible synonym).

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Myrtaceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[69] Moore. D. M. Flora of Tierra del Fuego. Anthony Nelson. 1983 ISBN 0-904614-05-0
Standard work for this part of S. America. Excellent details of habitat and a few notes on plant uses.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[208] Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990 ISBN 0-460-12609-1
An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.

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Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.