Herb latin name: Myoporum platycarpum


Family: Myoporaceae



Medicinal use of Myoporum platycarpum:

Laxative.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Habitat of the herb:

Dry areas on loamy and clayey soils. Usually found in poor limey soils.

Edible parts of Myoporum platycarpum:

Fruit - raw or cooked. Caution is advised, see the notes above on possible toxicity. A sweet manna exudes from the stems. It is a popular local delicacy. The manna cannot be induced to flow by wounding the stem.

Other uses of the herb:

The manna obtained from the stems can be used as an adhesive cement. The plant yields a resin. No more details are given, though these reports could be referring to the manna. Wood - perfumed. Used for veneers and cabinet making, it is a sandalwood substitute.

Propagation of Myoporum platycarpum:

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots 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. Consider giving the plants some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Pot up in the autumn. Good percentage.

Cultivation of the herb:

Dry areas on loamy and clayey soils. Usually found in poor limey soils.

Known hazards of Myoporum platycarpum:

Although no records of toxicity have been found for this species, the fruits of at least some members of this genus are known to contain liver toxins and can be harmful in large quantities.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.