Lophomyrtus bullata

Lophomyrtus bullata, also known by its Māori name of ramarama, is a species of evergreen myrtle shrub in the genus Lophomyrtus, family Myrtaceae. It is endemic to New Zealand.^[1]

Lophomyrtus bullata
Lophomyrtus bullata observed by New Zealand botanist Peter de Lange
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Lophomyrtus
Species:	L. bullata
Binomial name
Lophomyrtus bullata Burret
Synonyms[1]
Myrtus bullata Sol. ex A.Cunn. non Salis. nom. illegit. Myrtus aotearoana (E.C.Nelson) E.C.Nelson nom. illegit. Lophomyrtus aotearoana E.C.Nelson nom. illegit.

Ramarama growing in Auckland Botanic Gardens

Lophomyrtus bullata grows to a height of 8 metres, producing many branches closely packed together. The leaves are oval shaped, thick, shiny and bubbled, varying in colour from dark green to yellow green. They can also appear spotted with red, maroon, or blackish marks.

Ramarama flowers between November and March, and subsequently fruits from January through to June.^[2]

As of 2020, ramarama has become severely threatened by myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii), a pathogenic fungus that arrived in New Zealand in 2017.^[3]