Cheyniana microphylla Bush Pomegranate Endemic
The fruits of this interesting shrub in the Myrtaceae family, are approximately spherical, about 50 mm in diameter and covered in hairs, but the fruit we know as Pomegranate is usually much bigger. The similarity is actually because of the orange flowers on both plants, not the fruit. microphylla refers to the very small (micro) leaves (phylla). For a long time it was known as Balaustion microphylla but taxonomic studies in 2009 placed it in Cheyniana, a genus named after George McCartney Cheyne who was a pioneer and merchant in the Albany area.
The distribution of this very attractive shrub is quite localised around the Morawa area (Pindar is close to Morawa) in the Geraldton Sandplains.
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| Cheyniana microphylla Bush Pomegranate |
Bush by road at Pindar, Western Australia 20th September 2024
Added on 4th December 2024