Myrica
Myrica heterophylla
bayberry, myrique, sweet gale, wax-myrtle
evergreen bayberry, myrtle, wax-myrtle
spreading, terete, glabrous or pubescent, often gland-dotted.
appearing black, glabrous to densely pilose;
glands sparse or dense, yellow-orange.
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.
blade aromatic when crushed, oblanceolate to elliptic, occasionally obovate, 3-12.4(-14.2) × 1-5.2 cm, sometimes membranous, more often leathery, base cuneate to attenuate, margins entire or serrate distal to middle, apex rounded to acute, apiculate;
surfaces abaxially pilose (especially on major veins) or glabrate, densely glandular, adaxially pilose or glabrous, lacking glands or very sparsely glandular;
glands yellow.
± erect, ellipsoid to short-cylindric or ovoid, appearing before or with leaves;
bracts ovate, glabrous or variously pubescent.
staminate 0.5-1.8 cm;
pistillate 0.3-1.1 cm.
unisexual, rarely bisexual, staminate and pistillate flowers usually on different plants, infrequently on same plants.
unisexual, staminate and pistillate on different plants.
stamens (2-)3-12(-22), shorter or longer than subtending bract;
filaments mostly distinct, often connate into branching staminal column, each branch terminated by anther;
rudimentary ovary occasionally present.
bract of flower shorter than staminal column, margins opaque, ciliate, especially at apex and laterally, abaxially glabrous or with few glands;
stamens 3-5(-7).
ovary subtended by 2-6 broadly ovate bracteoles, these sometimes persistent and accrescent, always shorter than fruit, sometimes completely absent;
styles short.
bracteoles persistent in fruit, 4, not accrescent or adnate to fruit wall, abaxially pilose, usually along midrib, lacking glands;
ovary glabrous or sparsely glandular, not pubescent.
globose or ovoid to lenticular, smooth or more commonly with warty protuberances, usually covered with waxy coating that dries white.
globose-ellipsoid, 3-4.5 mm;
fruit wall glabrous or sparsely glandular, obscured by enlarged protuberances (± glandular) and thin to thick coat of gray to white wax.
= 8.
Myrica
Myrica heterophylla
Species ca. 50 (7 in the flora).
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.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
I have not seen any specimens of Myrica heterophylla from Delaware although it is listed in other floras as occurring there.
To distinguish between Myrica heterophylla and M. pensylvanica in the vegetative condition is difficult at best. Although M. heterophylla tends to have larger, persistent leaves (versus smaller, deciduous ones in M. pensylvanica), the difference breaks down, especially in the northern portion of the range of M. heterophylla. Male specimens provide little help in resolving this problem because the inflorescences are virtually identical. Female specimens are most useful (essential?) for definitive delimitation because the ovary and young fruit (wall and protuberances) of M. pensylvanica are pubescent in contrast to the glabrous or sparsely glandular fruits of M. heterophylla. Whether these differences are sufficient to warrant the recognition of distinct species is yet to be satisfactorily resolved. W. M. Houghton (1988) attempted to settle this matter, eventually recognizing two subspecies in M. pensylvanica, but he did not examine floral features in his analysis. Again, I have taken the conservative route, leaving the question largely unanswered.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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). | → 2 |
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). | → 3 |
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. | M. gale |
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. | M. hartwegii |
3. Staminate flowers with 6 or more stamens, rarely 2–3, especially in distal flowers; fruit wall, but not warty protuberances, pubescent. | → 4 |
3. Staminate flowers with 3–5(–7) stamens; fruit wall usually glabrous, if pubescent, warty protuberances also pubescent. | → 5 |
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. | M. inodora |
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. | M. californica |
5. Leaf blade densely glandular on both surfaces. | M. cerifera |
5. Leaf blade densely glandular only abaxially. | → 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. | M. pensylvanica |
6. Fruit wall glabrous or sparsely glandular, warty protuberances ± glandular; branches black; leaves persistent or tardily deciduous, leathery; fruits 3–4.5 mm. | M. heterophylla |
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WA
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MI Flora
MN Wildflowers
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
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