Rhodomyrtus
(from rhodon, a rose, and Myrtos, Myrtle; in allusion to the rose-coloured flowers of some species, and the alliance to the Myrtle). ORD Myrtaceae. A genus containing five species of stove or greenhouse, villous or tomentose trees or shrubs; one is dispersed over tropical Asia, from the Indian Archipelago as far as China, and the rest are natives of Eastern Australia. Flowers often rather large, axillary; calyx tube scarcely or not produced above the ovary; limb of four or five herbaceous, persistent segments; petals four or five, spreading; stamens densely many-seriate, free; peduncles one to three-flowered, rarely racemosely five to seven-flowered, rather long or very short. Leaves opposite, penniveined or triplinerved. R. tomentosa is the only species known to gardeners. For culture, see Myrtus.
R. tomentosa (tomentose).* Hill Gooseberry; Indian Hill Guava. fl. rose-colour; calyx five-cleft; peduncles one to three-flowered, shorter than the leaves, with two ovate bracteoles beneath the flowers. June. l. ovate, the younger ones velvety above, cano-tomentose beneath, three-nerved; lateral nerves sub-marginal. h. 5ft. China, &c., 1776. Greenhouse shrub. (B. M. 250, under name of Myrtus tomentosa.)