''Sannantha virgata'' is a flowering shrub species in the myrtle family,

Myrtaceae Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All speci ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

. Plants grow to between 0.5 and 3 metres high. White flowers appear in spring or summer with 5 rounded petals surrounding 7 to 10 stamens. The fruits are 1–2 mm wide and 2–3 mm in length.

Taxonomy

The species was first formally described in 1775 as ''Leptospermum virgatum''. In 1810 it was placed in the genus ''

Baeckea ''Baeckea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, all but one endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus ''Baeckea'' are shrubs or small trees with leaves arranged in opposite pairs, white to deep pink flowers with five s ...

''. By 1997 an Australian ''Baeckea virgata'' species complex had been identified which was regarded as separate from the New Caledonian population. From this complex, 8 separate species were identified and placed in the genus ''

Babingtonia ''Babingtonia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. The species are native to Australia. Many species formerly placed in the genus are currently included in ''Sannantha'', '' Baeckea'', ''Oxymyrrhine'', ''Kardomia'' ...

''. In 2007, the species were placed in the newly created genus ''

Sannantha ''Sannantha'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae that are native to Australia and New Caledonia. Plants in the genus ''Sannantha'' are shrubs or trees with leaves arranged in opposite pairs, flowers usually arranged in small g ...

'' and assigned the following names: *'' Sannantha angusta'' (A.R.Bean) Peter G.Wilson *'' Sannantha bidwillii'' (A.R.Bean) Peter G.Wilson *'' Sannantha brachypoda'' (A.R.Bean) Peter G.Wilson *''

Sannantha collina ''Sannantha'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae that are native to Australia and New Caledonia. Plants in the genus ''Sannantha'' are shrubs or trees with leaves arranged in opposite pairs, flowers usually arranged in small g ...

'' (A.R.Bean) Peter G.Wilson *'' Sannantha crassa'' (A.R.Bean) Peter G.Wilson *'' Sannantha papillosa'' (A.R.Bean) Peter G.Wilson *'' Sannantha pluriflora'' (F.Muell.) Peter G.Wilson *'' Sannantha similis'' (A.R.Bean) Peter G.Wilson

References

Endemic flora of New Caledonia virgata Taxa named by Johann Reinhold Forster Taxa named by Georg Forster {{Myrtaceae-stub