Myrica californica

Myrica californica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fagales
Family:	Myricaceae
Genus:	Myrica
Species:	M. californica
Binomial name
	Myrica californica; Cham. & Schltdl.
	Range of Myrica californica
Synonyms
	Morella californica

Myrica californica (California bayberry, California wax myrtle or Pacific wax myrtle; syn. Gale californica (Cham. & Schltdl.) Greene, Morella californica (Cham. & Schltdl.) Wilbur) is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the Pacific Ocean coast of North America from Vancouver Island south to California as far south as the Long Beach area.^[1]

It grows to 2–10 m tall, and has serrated, sticky green leaves 4–13 cm long and 0.7–3 cm broad, which emit a spicy scent on warm days. The flower's inflorescence is arranged in a spike 0.6–3 cm long, in range of colors from green to red. The fruit is a wrinkled purple berry 4–6.5 mm diameter, with a waxy coating, hence the common name wax myrtle. This species has root nodules containing nitrogen-fixing microorganisms, allowing it to grow in relatively poor soils.^[1]

Cultivation and uses[]

It grows well on cool, moist coastlines and can be planted in lines as a seaside windbreak. The bark and leaves have historically been used on occasion for gastrointestinal ailments. The most active chemical is apparently the glycoside , which is related to saponin. The plant tissues are also high in tannins. The wax may be extracted from the fruit and made into candles and soap;^[2] however, this species produces much less wax than other bayberries, and so is rarely used for this purpose.

Various birds eat the berries in small quantities.^[2]

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Petrides, George A. (1998). A Field Guide to Western Trees: Western United States and Canada (Peterson Field Guides). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. pp. 331–332. ISBN 0395904544.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Whitney, Stephen (1985). Western Forests (The Audubon Society Nature Guides). New York: Knopf. p. 382. ISBN 0-394-73127-1.

External links[]

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[:0-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b Petrides, George A. (1998). A Field Guide to Western Trees: Western United States and Canada (Peterson Field Guides). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. pp. 331–332. ISBN 0395904544.

[Knopf-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b Whitney, Stephen (1985). Western Forests (The Audubon Society Nature Guides). New York: Knopf. p. 382. ISBN 0-394-73127-1.

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