164 TREES OF NORTH AMERICA 



trees and shrubs, widely distributed through the temperate and warmer parts of both 

 hemispheres. Of the seven North American species three are trees. Wax is obtained 

 from the exudations of the fruit of several species. The bark is astringent, and sometimes 

 used in medicine, in tanning, and as an aniline dye. Myrica rubra Sieb and Zacc., of 

 southern Japan and China, is cultivated for its succulent aromatic red fruit. 



The generic name is probably from the ancient name of some shrub, possibly the Tam- 

 arisk. 



CONSPECTUS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES. 



Flowers dioecious. 



Leaves oblanceolate, usually acute or rarely rounded at apex, mostly coarsely serrate 



above the middle, yellow-green, coated below with conspicuous orange-colored 



glands. 1. M. cerifera (A, C). 



Leaves usually broadly oblong-obovate, rounded or rarely acute at apex, entire, dark 



green and lustrous. 2. M. inodora (C). 



Flowers monoecious; leaves oblanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, sharply serrate, dark green 



and lustrous. 3. M. califomica (G). 



1. Myrica cerifera L. Wax Myrtle. 



Leaves oblanceolate or rarely oblong-lanceolate, acute or rarely gradually narrowed 

 and rounded at apex, cuneate at base, decurrent on short stout petioles, coarsely serrate 

 above the middle or entire, yellow-green, covered above by minute dark glands and below 



Fig. 159 



by bright orange-colored glands, l|'-4' long and \'-\' wide, with a slender pale midrib often 

 puberulous below, and few obscure arcuate veins, fragrant with a balsamic resinous odor; 

 gradually deciduous at the end of their first year. Flowers in small oblong aments. with 

 ovate acute ciliate scales, those of the staminate plant |'-f long, about twice as long as 

 those of the pistillate plant; stamens few, with oblong slightly obcordate anthers at first 

 tinged with red, becoming yellow; ovary gradually narrowed into 2 slender spreading stig- 

 mas longer than its scale. Fruit in short spikes, ripening in September and October and 

 persistent on the branches during the winter, irregularly deciduous in the spring and early 

 summer, globose, about \' in diameter, slightly papillose, light green, coated with thick 

 pale blue wax; seed pale, minute. 



A tree, occasionally 40 high, with a tall trunk 8'-10' in diameter, slender upright or 

 slightly spreading branches forming a narrow round-topped head, and slender branchlets 



