The treatment 'The Myricaceae of the United States and Canada: genera, subgenera, and series.' by Wilbur R.L., published in Sida 16:, , proposed dividing the genus Myrica into three genera. This seems to be gaining acceptance and so this species has now been moved from Myrica to the genus Morella[].

Common Name: Bayberry

General Information

Bayberry is an evergreen tree growing from 2 - 10 metres tall. The bole can be up to 40cm in diameter[].
The edible fruits are highly esteemed and are often gathered from the wild for local use, they are sometimes also sold in local markets[]. The bark is a major source of tannins in China[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - China, India, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam.

Habitat

Open, mixed forests on mountain slopes at elevations of 300 - 2,500 metres in southern China[]. Occurs in light forests, where it is locally numerous[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	8.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in tropical and subtropical climates, being found at elevations from the lowland up to 2,100 metres[].
Prefers a dry, well-drained soil, and can be found on sandy dunes and stony laterites[].
Trees can yield 15 - 25 kg of fruits per year[]. They have a long season of fruiting, which is ideal for home use but difficult if the fruit is to be grown commercially.
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw, cooked or used to make a refreshing drink[, ]. A sourish-sweet flavour, they used in desserts[]. In the sub-Himalayan region of India they are reported to be one of the tastiest wild fruits and are eagerly collected[]. The red, ellipsoid fruit is carried in large racemes[].

The kernels of the fruit are much esteemed in parts of China[].

Medicinal

The bark is antirheumatic, astringent, carminative and stimulant[]. The juice of the bark is used internally to treat catarrh and headaches[]. It is also used to treat rheumatism[]. A decoction of the bark forms a gelatinous mass which is used internally to treat fevers, asthma and diarrhoea, whilst it is also applied externally to sprains[].
The juice of the bark is applied to cuts, wounds and body aches[].
The bark of the stem or root is kept pressed between the teeth to treat dental caries[].

The juice of the unripe fruit is used as an anthelmintic[].

Other Uses

A yellow dye is obtained from the bark[]. It can be used to dye mordanted cotton yellowish to brownish shades[].
The bark contains 19 - 34% tannins on a dry weight basis[].

The wax-like substance which covers the fruits is sometimes extracted by boiling the fruit in water[]. The wax is used for making candles and soap[].

The timber is rather closely grained and reddish-brown in colour[].

Propagation

Seed -

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