Lophomyrtus obcordata, commonly known by its Māori name rōhutu or tutuhi, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae.

It is a tall bushy shrub whose size can reach up to c. 5 or 6 m.[1] This shrub has a smooth trunk beige hidden by pieces of greyish bark whose diameter is about 0.2 m.[2] The branches are spread out; the branchlets are numerous, erect, of the subcylindrical type, and slightly pubescent.

[3] These leaves are thick, heart-shaped, opposite or fasciculate, glabrous when adult (and pubescent before), and 5 to 10 mm long and wide.

[2] The ovary is inferior, meaning that it is surrounded by the receptacle and has two or three compartments and therefore two or three placentas (axile placentation) where there are a large number of ovules.

For example, it can be found in the forest of Westland, where the rich and deep soils and the heat are conducive to its development, although this species is also rather tolerant to drought.

The lack of information on the phenology of Lophomyrtus obcordata makes the conservation of this species difficult.

[8] Lophomyrtus obcordata has foliage and fruit that are very attractive to birds, insects, and pollinators such as bees.

Landcare Research-Manaaki Whenua gives a list of 14 species that are in association with Lophomyrtus obcordata.

However, it is necessary to pay attention to the spread of Myrtle Rust, increasingly due to global warming.

[1] Lophomyrtus obcordata was officially listed as “threatened” and “nationally critical” in New Zealand in 2018, because of its susceptibility to myrtle rust.

[1] To give an example of what has been done to preserve this species, 89 individuals were planted on Otamahua and Quail Island between 1998 and 2010, an area where myrtle rust is currently absent.

[13] Because of the potential disappearance of Lophomyrtus obcordata, and the threat posed by the propagation of the myrtle rust disease, it is urgent to develop conservation projects.

The creation of a seed bank makes it possible to preserve an intra-population genetic variability essential to the maintenance of a species.

[14] According to the study of Karin Van der Walt and Jayanthi Nadarajan,[15] the species must be desiccation and cold-tolerant.