View source for Myrica

{{Treatment/ID
|accepted_name=Myrica
|accepted_authority=Linnaeus
|publications={{Treatment/Publication
|title=Sp. Pl.
|place=2: 1024. 175
}}, {{Treatment/Publication
|title=Gen. Pl. ed.
|place=5, 449. 1754
|year=1754
}}
|common_names=Wax-myrtle;bayberry;sweet gale;myrique
|basionyms=
|synonyms={{Treatment/ID/Synonym
|name=Cerothamnus
|authority=Tidestrom
|rank=genus
}} {{Treatment/ID/Synonym
|name=Gale
|authority=Duhamel
|rank=genus
}} {{Treatment/ID/Synonym
|name=Morella
|authority=Loureiro
|rank=genus
}}
|hierarchy=Myricaceae;Myrica
|hierarchy_nav=<div class="higher-taxa"><div class="higher-taxon"><small>family</small>[[Myricaceae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>genus</small>[[Myrica]]</div></div>
|etymology=Greek my for tamarisk or another aromatic shrub; possibly from myrizein, to perfume
|volume=Volume 3
|mention_page=
|treatment_page=
}}<!--

--><span class="statement" id="st-d0_s0" data-properties="whole_organism odor;whole_organism coating;whole_organism growth form;whole_organism size;whole_organism odor;whole_organism coating;whole_organism growth form"><b>Shrubs </b>or small trees, often aromatic and resinous.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s1" data-properties="branch orientation;branch shape;branch pubescence;branch pubescence;branch coloration"><b>Branches </b>spreading, terete, glabrous or pubescent, often gland-dotted.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s2" data-properties="leaf duration;leaf duration"><b>Leaves </b>persistent or deciduous;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s3" data-properties="stipule presence">stipules absent.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s4" data-properties="leaf-blade odor;leaf-blade shape;leaf-blade shape;leaf-blade shape;leaf-blade shape;leaf-blade shape;leaf-blade shape;leaf-blade texture;leaf-blade texture;margin shape;margin shape;margin pubescence;margin pubescence;margin coloration"><b>Leaf-</b>blade aromatic when crushed (except M. inodora), oblanceolate, elliptic, obovate, or oblong-ovate, membranous or leathery, margins entire or serrate-denticulate, especially in distal 1/2, pubescent or glabrous, usually gland-dotted.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s5" data-properties="inflorescence orientation;inflorescence shape"><b>Inflorescences </b>± erect, ellipsoid to short-cylindric or ovoid, appearing before or with leaves;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s6" data-properties="bract shape;bract pubescence;bract pubescence">bracts ovate, glabrous or variously pubescent.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s7" data-properties="flower reproduction;flower reproduction;flower architecture;flower architecture"><b>Flowers </b>unisexual, rarely bisexual, staminate and pistillate flowers usually on different plants, infrequently on same plants.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s8" data-properties="flower architecture;stamen atypical quantity;stamen atypical quantity;stamen quantity;stamen height or length or size;stamen length or size"><b>Staminate </b>flowers: stamens (2-) 3-12 (-22), shorter or longer than subtending bract;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s9" data-properties="flower architecture;filament fusion;filament fusion;staminal column architecture">filaments mostly distinct, often connate into branching staminal column, each branch terminated by anther;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s10" data-properties="flower architecture;ovary prominence;ovary presence">rudimentary ovary occasionally present.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s11" data-properties="flower architecture;ovary duration;ovary size;ovary height or length or size;ovary presence;bracteole quantity;bracteole shape"><b>Pistillate </b>flowers: ovary subtended by 2-6 broadly ovate bracteoles, these sometimes persistent and accrescent, always shorter than fruit, sometimes completely absent;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s12" data-properties="flower architecture;style height or length or size">styles short.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s13" data-properties="protuberance pubescence or relief"><b>Fruits </b>globose or ovoid to lenticular, smooth or more commonly with warty protuberances, usually covered with waxy coating that dries white.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s14" data-properties="fruit shape;fruit architecture or pubescence or relief;fruit position relational;fruit coating;fruit condition or texture;fruit coloration;x chromosome quantity">x = 8.</span><!--

-->{{Treatment/Body
|distribution=Nearly worldwide
|discussion=<p>Species ca. 50 (7 in the flora).</p><!--
--><p>Myrica is often cultivated. Myrica species were used by various tribes of Native Americans for medicinal purposes. Leaves were used for a gynecological aid and an emetic; the bark, as a blood purifier and a kidney aid (D. E. Moerman 1986). Bayberry candles were used by early settlers, and they remain popular household items, both decorative and functional.</p>
|tables=
|references=
}}<!--

--><div class="treatment-key">
==Key==
<div class="treatment-key-group">
  
{| class="wikitable fna-keytable"
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Bracts of staminate flowers longer than stamens; bracteoles of pistillate flowers 2, accrescent and adnate to fruit; fruits smooth (without protuberances), lacking waxy deposit (subg. Myrica).
|[[#key-0-2| > 2]]
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Bracts of staminate flowers shorter than stamens; bracteoles of pistillate flowers 4–6, not accrescent or adnate to fruit; fruits with numerous protuberances, usually covered with waxy coating that dries white or blue-white to gray (subg. Morella Loureiro).
|[[#key-0-3| > 3]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Bracteoles of pistillate flowers glabrous; leaf margins serrate, usually minutely so, with 1–4 pairs of teeth restricted to distal 1/3 of blade; not extending s of Oregon in w part of range.
|[[Myrica gale|Myrica gale]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Bracteoles of pistillate flowers densely pilose, especially at apex; leaf margins serrate, often coarsely so, with 4–12 pairs of teeth ± in distal 1/2 of blade; California only.
|[[Myrica hartwegii|Myrica hartwegii]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Staminate flowers with 6 or more stamens, rarely 2–3, especially in distal flowers; fruit wall, but not warty protuberances, pubescent.
|[[#key-0-4| > 4]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Staminate flowers with 3–5(–7) stamens; fruit wall usually glabrous, if pubescent, warty protuberances also pubescent.
|[[#key-0-5| > 5]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Margins of leaf blade entire, rarely serrate at apex; blade not aromatic when crushed; flowers unisexual, staminate and pistillate on different plants; restricted to Gulf Coast region.
|[[Myrica inodora|Myrica inodora]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Margins of leaf blade conspicuously serrate almost their entire length; blade fragrant when crushed; flowers bisexual, staminate, and pistillate, all on same plant; Pacific Coast region.
|[[Myrica californica|Myrica californica]]
|-id=key-0-5
|5
|Leaf blade densely glandular on both surfaces.
|[[Myrica cerifera|Myrica cerifera]]
|-id=key-0-5
|5
|Leaf blade densely glandular only abaxially.
|[[#key-0-6| > 6]]
|-id=key-0-6
|6
|Fruit wall and warty protuberances densely hirsute when young; branches whitish gray in age; leaves deciduous, membranous; fruits 3.5–5.5 mm.
|[[Myrica pensylvanica|Myrica pensylvanica]]
|-id=key-0-6
|6
|Fruit wall glabrous or sparsely glandular, warty protuberances ± glandular; branches black; leaves persistent or tardily deciduous, leathery; fruits 3–4.5 mm.
|[[Myrica heterophylla|Myrica heterophylla]]
|}
</div></div><!--

-->{{#Taxon:
name=Myrica
|authority=Linnaeus
|rank=genus
|parent rank=family
|synonyms=Cerothamnus;Gale;Morella
|basionyms=
|family=Myricaceae
|distribution=Nearly worldwide
|reference=None
|publication title=Sp. Pl.;Gen. Pl. ed.
|publication year=;1754
|special status=
|source xml=https://bibilujan@bitbucket.org/aafc-mbb/fna-fine-grained-xml.git/src/84153f6d59a0a91d69695978a64cee7560374f8e/V3/V3_138.xml
|genus=Myrica
|bract pubescence=pubescent;glabrous
|bract shape=ovate
|bracteole quantity=2;6
|bracteole shape=ovate
|branch coloration=gland-dotted
|branch orientation=spreading
|branch pubescence=pubescent;glabrous
|branch shape=terete
|filament fusion=connate;distinct
|flower architecture=pistillate;pistillate;staminate;staminate;staminate;pistillate;staminate
|flower reproduction=bisexual;unisexual
|fruit architecture or pubescence or relief=smooth
|fruit coating=waxy
|fruit coloration=white
|fruit condition or texture=dries
|fruit position relational=covered
|fruit shape=ovoid;lenticular
|inflorescence orientation=erect
|inflorescence shape=ellipsoid;short-cylindric or ovoid
|leaf duration=deciduous;persistent
|leaf-blade odor=aromatic
|leaf-blade shape=oblong-ovate;obovate;oblong-ovate;obovate;elliptic;oblanceolate
|leaf-blade texture=leathery;membranous
|margin coloration=gland-dotted
|margin pubescence=glabrous;pubescent
|margin shape=serrate-denticulate;entire
|ovary duration=persistent
|ovary height or length or size=always shorter
|ovary presence=absent;absent
|ovary prominence=rudimentary
|ovary size=accrescent
|protuberance pubescence or relief=warty
|stamen atypical quantity=12;22
|stamen height or length or size=shorter
|stamen length or size=shorter or longer
|stamen quantity=3;12
|staminal column architecture=branching
|stipule presence=absent
|style height or length or size=short
|whole_organism coating=resinous;resinous
|whole_organism growth form=tree;shrub
|whole_organism odor=aromatic;aromatic
|whole_organism size=small
|x chromosome quantity=8
}}<!--

-->[[Category:Treatment]][[Category:Myricaceae]]