myrica cerifera

4 definitions found

myrica cerifera - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Myrtle \Myr"tle\ (m[~e]r"t'l), n. [F. myrtil bilberry, prop., a
     little myrtle, from myrte myrtle, L. myrtus, murtus, Gr.
     my`rtos; cf. Per. m[=u]rd.] (Bot.)
     A species of the genus Myrtus, especially Myrtus communis
     . The common myrtle has a shrubby, upright stem,
     eight or ten feet high. Its branches form a close, full head,
     thickly covered with ovate or lanceolate evergreen leaves. It
     has solitary axillary white or rosy flowers, followed by
     black several-seeded berries. The ancients considered it
     sacred to Venus. The flowers, leaves, and berries are used
     variously in perfumery and as a condiment, and the
     beautifully mottled wood is used in turning.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The name is also popularly but wrongly applied in
           America to two creeping plants, the blue-flowered
           periwinkle and the yellow-flowered moneywort. In the
           West Indies several myrtaceous shrubs are called
           myrtle.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Bog myrtle, the sweet gale.
  
     Crape myrtle. See under Crape.
  
     Myrtle warbler (Zool.), a North American wood warbler
        (Dendroica coronata); -- called also myrtle bird,
        yellow-rumped warbler, and yellow-crowned warbler.
  
     Myrtle wax. (Bot.) See Bayberry tallow, under Bayberry.
        
  
     Sand myrtle, a low, branching evergreen shrub (Leiophyllum  buxifolium
        ), growing in New Jersey and southward.
  
     Wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera). See Bayberry.
        [1913 Webster]

  Bayberry \Bay"ber*ry\, n. (Bot.)
     (a) The fruit of the bay tree or Laurus nobilis.
     (b) A tree of the West Indies related to the myrtle (Pimenta   acris
         ).
     (c) The fruit of Myrica cerifera (wax myrtle); the shrub
         itself; -- called also candleberry tree.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     Bayberry tallow, a fragrant green wax obtained from the
        bayberry or wax myrtle; -- called also myrtle wax.
        [1913 Webster]

  Candleberry tree \Can"dle*ber`ry tree\ (Bot.)
     A shrub (the Myrica cerifera, or wax-bearing myrtle),
     common in North America, the little nuts of which are covered
     with a greenish white wax, which was formerly, used for
     hardening candles; -- also called bayberry tree,
     bayberry, or candleberry.
     [1913 Webster]

myrica cerifera - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Myrica cerifera
      n 1: evergreen aromatic shrubby tree of southeastern United
           States having small hard berries thickly coated with white
           wax used for candles [syn: bay myrtle, puckerbush,
           Myrica cerifera]