MYRICACEAE
Morphological description
Plants aromatic, gland dotted, exstipulate; usually woody.
Leaves
Leaves spiral, simple, dentate, penninerved.
Inflorescence
Inflorescence.
Flowers
Flower unisexual; sepals and petals absent; ovary superior, 1-locular, 1 basal ovule, stigmas 2, papillate: usually stamens 2- 4.
Fruit
Fruit a tuberculate drupe.
Seed
Seed.
Different from: Aquifoliaceae (Ilex): sepals and petals present; ovary 3- or more- locular, stigma sessile.
Distribution: The family is mainly confined to the northern hemisphere. Myrica extends to Malesia as far east as New Guinea. An endemic genus is known from New Caledonia.
Notes: Myrica rubra of Southeast Asia is cultivated for its edible fruits. — In Malesia 2 species have been accepted so far but more may have to be recognised when more adequate material will be available.
Literature: C.A. Backer, Fl. Males. I, 4 (1951) 276-279.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): 26, 52, 95.
Illustrations: Fig. 113. Myrica javanica Blume: a. flowering twig; b. staminate flower; c. pistillate flower.
Image in PhytoImages for Myricaceae