Myrica

Myrica
	FemaleMyrica galeplant
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fagales
Family:	Myricaceae
Genus:	Myrica; L.
Type species
	Myrica gale; L.
Species
	See text
Synonyms
	AngeiaTidestr.; CerophoraRaf.; CerothamnusTidestr.; FayaWebb & Berthel.; FayanaRaf.; GaleDuhamel; MorellaLour.; PimecariaRaf.;

Myrica/mɪˈraɪkə/^[3]is agenusof about 35–50speciesof smalltreesandshrubsin thefamily Myricaceae,order Fagales.The genus has a widedistribution,includingAfrica,Asia,Europe,North America,andSouth America,and missing only fromAntarcticaandOceania.Somebotanistssplit the genus into two genera on the basis of thecatkinandfruitstructure, restrictingMyricato a few species, and treating the others inMorella.^[4]

Common names includebayberry,bay-rum tree,candleberry,sweet gale,andwax-myrtle.The generic name was derived from theGreekword μυρίκη (myrike), meaning "fragrance".^[5]^[6]

Characteristics

The species vary from 1 m (3 ft 3 in) shrubs up to 20 m (66 ft) trees; some aredeciduous,but the majority of species areevergreen.Therootshavenitrogen-fi xing bacteriawhich enable the plants to grow on soils that are very poor innitrogencontent. Theleavesare spirally arranged, simple,2–12 cm (13⁄16–4+3⁄4in) long,oblanceolatewith a tapered base and broader tip, and a crinkled or finely toothed margin. Theflowersarecatkins,with male and female catkins usually on separate plants (dioecious). Thefruitis a smalldrupe,usually with awaxcoating.

The type species,Myrica gale,isholarcticin distribution, growing inacidic peat bogsthroughout the colder parts of the Northern Hemisphere; it is a deciduous shrub growing to 1m tall. The remaining species all have relatively small ranges, and are mostly warm-temperate.

Myrica faya(Morella faya), native to thevolcanicislands of theAzores,Madeiraand theCanary Islands,has become aninvasive specieson theHawaiianvolcanoes^[7]where it was introduced in the 19th century; its ability tofix nitrogenmakes it very well adapted to growing on low-nitrogen volcanic soils.

The wax coating on the fruit is indigestible for mostbirds,but a few species have adapted to be able to eat it, notably theyellow-rumped warblerandtree swallowin North America. As the wax is very energy-rich, this enables the yellow-rumped warbler to winter farther north in cooler climates than any other American warbler if bayberries are present. Theseedsare then dispersed in the droppings of the birds.

Myricaspecies are used as food plants by thelarvaeof someLepidopteraspecies includingbrown-tail,emperor moth,andwinter mothas well as thebucculatricidleaf-minersBucculatrix cidarella,B. myricae(feeds exclusively onM. gale) andB. paroptilaand theColeophoracase-bearersC. comptoniella,C. pruniella,andC. viminetella.

Uses

Native Americans used bayberry medicinally. The root bark was pounded into powder and mixed with water to cure diarrhea. American pioneers sniffed the powder to counter nasal congestion. It was sometimes used inpoultices.^[8]

The wax coating on the fruit of several species, known asbayberry wax,has been used traditionally to makecandles.It was used for that purpose by the Robinson family in the novelThe Swiss Family Robinson.^[9]The foliage ofMyrica galeis a traditionalinsect repellent,used bycampersto keep biting insects out oftents.Several species are also grown as ornamental plants ingardens.The fruit ofMyrica rubrais an economically important crop inChina,sold fresh, dried, canned, for juice, for flavoring in snacks, and for alcoholic beverages. Myrica is used to spicebeerandsnapsinDenmark.

The leaves can add flavor to soups and broths. They can be dried and stored in jars to be used as a spice.^[8]

Species

Myricacomprises the following species:^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13]

Myrica adenophoraHance
Myrica arboreaHutch.
Myrica brevifoliaE. Mey. ex C. DC.
Myrica cacuminisBritton & P.Wilson
Myrica californicaCham.&Schltdl.– California bayberry
Myrica caroliniensisMill.southern bayberry
Myrica ceriferaL.– wax-myrtle, southern wax-myrtle
Myrica chevalieri(Parra-Os.) Christenh. & Byng
Myrica chimanimaniana(Verdc. & Polhill) Christenh. & Byng
Myrica cordifoliaL.
Myrica dentulataBaill.
Myrica diversifoliaAdamson
Myrica esculentaBuch.-Ham. ex D.Don
Myrica fayaAiton– faya bayberry
Myrica funckiiA.Chev.
Myrica galeL.– sweet gale or bog-myrtle
Myrica goetzeiEngl.
Myrica hartwegiiS.Watson– Sierra bayberry
Myrica heterophyllaRaf.
Myrica holdridgeanaLundell^[14]
Myrica humilisCham.
Myrica inodoraW.Bartram– scentless bayberry
Myrica integra(A.Chev.) Killick
Myrica integrifoliaRoxb.
Myrica interruptaBenth.
Myrica javanicaBlume
Myrica kandtianaEngl.
Myrica kilimandscharicaEngl.
Myrica kraussianaBuchinger ex Meisn.
Myrica lindenianaC.DC.
Myrica meyeri-johannisEngl.
Myrica microbracteataWeim.
Myrica mildbraediiEngl.
Myrica nanaA.Chev.
Myrica parvifoliaBenth.
Myrica pavonisC.DC.
Myrica pensylvanicaMirb.– northern bayberry
Myrica phanerodontaStandl.
Myrica picardaeKrug & Urb.
Myrica piluliferaRendle
Myrica pringleiGreenm.
Myrica pubescensHumb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
Myrica punctataGriseb.
Myrica quercifoliaL.
Myrica rotundataSteyerm. & Maguire
Myrica rubraSiebold & Zucc.–yang mei,Chinese bayberry, yumberry
Myrica salicifoliaHochst. ex A.Rich.
Myrica serrataLam.
Myrica shaferiUrb. & Britton
Myrica singularisParra-Os.
Myrica spathulataMirb.

Species names with uncertain taxonomic status

The status of the following species and hybrids is unresolved:^[11]^[12]

Morella × macfarlanei(Youngken) Kartesz
Morella pumilaSmall
Myrica aethiopicaL.
Myrica alaternoidesCrantz
Myrica algarbiensisGand.
Myrica alteraC.DC.
Myrica apiculataUrb. & Ekman
Myrica arabicaWilld.
Myrica auriculataRidl.
Myrica australasicaF.Muell.
Myrica banksiifoliaJ.C.Wendl.
Myrica bojerianaBaker
Myrica×burbankiiA.Chev.
Myrica burmanniiE. Mey. ex C. Dc.
Myrica capensisSteud.
Myrica carolenensisA.Rich.
Myrica carolinianaEttingsh.
Myrica coniferaBurm.f.
Myrica dominganaC.DC.
Myrica dregeanaA.Chev.
Myrica ellipticaA.Chev.
Myrica esquiroliiH.Lév.
Myrica fallaxDC.
Myrica floridaRegel
Myrica fuscataRaf.
Myrica glabrissimaA.Chev.
Myrica hirsutaMill.
Myrica holtziiEngl. & Brehmer
Myrica humbertiiStaner & Lebrun
Myrica ilicifoliaBurm.f.
Myrica jamaicensisR.A.Howard & Proctor
Myrica laciniataWilld.
Myrica latilobaHeer
Myrica lobbiiTeijsm. & Binn. ex Miq.
Myrica longifoliaTeijsm. & Binn. ex C.DC.
Myrica macrophyllaMirb.
Myrica microcarpaBenth.
Myrica microstachyaKrug & Urb.
Myrica montanaVahl
Myrica mossiiBurtt Davy
Myrica myrtifoliaA.Chev.
Myrica nagiThunb.
Myrica natalensisC.DC.
Myrica oligadeniaPeter
Myrica ovataH.L.Wendl.
Myrica pusillaRaf.
Myrica reticulataKrug & Urb.
Myrica rivas-martineziiA.Santos
Myrica rogersiiBurtt Davy
Myrica roraimaeOliv.
Myrica rothmalerianaP.Silva
Myrica rotundifoliaSalisb.
Myrica tomentosaAsch. & Graebn.
Myrica trifoliataTurpin
Myrica trifoliataL.
Myrica trifoliolataDC.
Myrica undulataRaf.
Myrica usambarensisEngl.
Myrica verrucosaRaf.
Myrica vidalianaRolfe

Formerly placed here

Balakata luzonica(asM. luzonicaS.Vidal)^[15]
Comptonia peregrina(L.) J.M.Coult.(asM. aspleniifoliaL.)
Nageia nagi(Thunb.) Kuntze(asM. nagiThunb.)

References

^"Genus:MyricaL. "Germplasm Resources Information Network.United States Department of Agriculture. 2006-12-14.Retrieved2010-10-31.
^"MyricaL. "Plants of the World Online.Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017.Retrieved9 July2020.
^Sunset Western Garden Book,1995:606–607
^Valérie Huguet, Manolo Gouy, Philippe Normand, Jeff F. Zimpfer, and Maria P. Fernandez. 2005. "Molecular phylogeny of Myricaceae: a reexamination of host-symbiont specificity".Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution34(3):557–568.doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2004.11.018
^Gledhill, D. (2008).The Names of Plants(4 ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 267.ISBN 978-0-521-86645-3.
^Μυρίκη was also the Greek name forTamarixspecies.
^Warren L. Wagner, Derral R. Herbst, and Sy H. Sohmer.Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii,Revised Edition, 1999. Bishop Museum Press: Hololulu.
^^a ^bAngier, Bradford(1974).Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants.Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books. p. 30.ISBN 0-8117-0616-8.OCLC 799792.
^"The Swiss Family Robinson:" One of the most popular novels of all time - Jane Austen articles and blog ".janeausten.co.uk.Retrieved2024-05-02.
^"GRIN Species Records ofMyrica".Germplasm Resources Information Network.United States Department of Agriculture.Retrieved2010-10-31.
^^a ^b"The Plant List entry forMyrica".The Plant List,v.1.1.Royal Botanic Gardens, Kewand theMissouri Botanical Garden.September 2013.Retrieved14 December2020.
^^a ^b"The Plant List entry forMorella".The Plant List,v.1.1.Royal Botanic Gardens, Kewand theMissouri Botanical Garden.September 2013.Retrieved14 December2020.
^Govaerts R."MyricaL. "Plants of the World Online.Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.Retrieved14 December2020.
^"Myrica".Integrated Taxonomic Information System.Retrieved2010-10-31.
^Balakata.Malesian Euphorbiaceae Descriptions. National Herbarium Nederland.

External links

[GRIN-1] "Genus:MyricaL. "Germplasm Resources Information Network.United States Department of Agriculture. 2006-12-14.Retrieved2010-10-31.

[2] "MyricaL. "Plants of the World Online.Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017.Retrieved9 July2020.

[3] Sunset Western Garden Book,1995:606–607

[huguet2005-4] Valérie Huguet, Manolo Gouy, Philippe Normand, Jeff F. Zimpfer, and Maria P. Fernandez. 2005. "Molecular phylogeny of Myricaceae: a reexamination of host-symbiont specificity".Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution34(3):557–568.doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2004.11.018

[Gledhill-5] Gledhill, D. (2008).The Names of Plants(4 ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 267.ISBN 978-0-521-86645-3.

[6] Μυρίκη was also the Greek name forTamarixspecies.

[WHS1999-7] Warren L. Wagner, Derral R. Herbst, and Sy H. Sohmer.Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii,Revised Edition, 1999. Bishop Museum Press: Hololulu.

[:0-8] Angier, Bradford(1974).Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants.Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books. p. 30.ISBN 0-8117-0616-8.OCLC 799792.

[9] "The Swiss Family Robinson:" One of the most popular novels of all time - Jane Austen articles and blog ".janeausten.co.uk.Retrieved2024-05-02.

[GRINSpecies-10] "GRIN Species Records ofMyrica".Germplasm Resources Information Network.United States Department of Agriculture.Retrieved2010-10-31.

[PlantList1-11] "The Plant List entry forMyrica".The Plant List,v.1.1.Royal Botanic Gardens, Kewand theMissouri Botanical Garden.September 2013.Retrieved14 December2020.

[PlantList2-12] "The Plant List entry forMorella".The Plant List,v.1.1.Royal Botanic Gardens, Kewand theMissouri Botanical Garden.September 2013.Retrieved14 December2020.

[POWO-13] Govaerts R."MyricaL. "Plants of the World Online.Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.Retrieved14 December2020.

[ITIS-14] "Myrica".Integrated Taxonomic Information System.Retrieved2010-10-31.

[15] Balakata.Malesian Euphorbiaceae Descriptions. National Herbarium Nederland.

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