Handbook of Tkees of the Xoktiiki;x States and Canada. 



The Wax Myrtle is a slender tree occasion- 

 ally attaineing the height of 30 or 40 ft. with 

 usually crooked or inclined trunl-; 10-12 in. in 

 diameter. When isolated from other trees it 

 develops a rather narrow oblong top of small 

 slender branches. It attains its largest size 

 in the coast region of the southern Atlantic 

 and Gulf states where it is a common tree. 

 It is found in moist woods or encroaching upon 

 the sand hills in the vicinity of the sea coast 

 in company with the Yaupon, Wild Olive, Red 

 Bay, Live Oak, etc., or, farther inland, in 

 swamps and bottom-lands in company witli the 

 Sweet Bay, Loblolly Bay, Sparkleberry, Red 

 Maple, Sweet-leaf, etc. 



Its fine-grained soft wood, of which a cubic 

 foot when absolutely dry weighs 35.1.3 lbs., is 

 little used, though suitable for use in turnery. 

 Its fruit is sometimes gathered by the country 

 folk and the waxy covering removed by heat- 

 ing in water. This is then gathered and cast 

 into candles which when lighted burn with a 

 distinctly bluish light.i 



Leaves oblong-lanceolato to oblanceolate, IM;--' 

 in. long, cunoatp at base and dccurrent on tho 

 short petiole, acute, remotely serrate chiefly atiove 

 the middle or entire, dark green above and paler 

 beneath, fragrant with yellow resin glands. 

 Flowers (March-April) dioecious; staminate 

 aments %-% in. long, cylindric ; stamens few: 

 pistillate aments oblong, shorter than the stami- 

 nate. Fruit globose drupes, V» in. or less in 

 diameter, coated with bluish white wax and 

 tipped with base of style, ripening in e.arly 

 autumn and long persisting.^ 



1. A. W.. XI, liOS. 



■J. For genus see p. 424. 



