Morella californica (Cham.) Wilbur
California wax-myrtle
Myricaceae (Bayberry family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
California wax-myrtle
Myricaceae (Bayberry family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Shrub or small tree, 2-6 m tall; stems spreading, hairy and finely wax-dotted when young, glabrous at maturity.
Leaves:
Alternate, evergreen, oblanceolate, 5-8 cm long, entire to coarsely toothed, glabrous above, finely black-dotted and hairy below, usually sharp-pointed, aromatic.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of male and female flowers in spikes on the same plant; male spikes 5 mm long, the male flowers with 3-12 stamens, the filaments more or less fused, often bracteate, exceeding the subtending bract; female spikes 1-2 cm long, the main bract larger than the 2 subtending bracteoles.
Fruits:
Nutlets, winged, 4-8 mm long, round, strongly warty and waxy.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
USDA Species Characteristics
Flower Colour:
Yellow
Blooming Period:
Early Summer
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Blue
Present from Summer to Fall
Source: The USDA
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Morella californica
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
3 | 3 | 3 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
5 | 5 | 5 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
220 | 220 | 220 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
|||
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
|||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
1 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
CWH | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
CWH(1) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Mesic to moist shoreline thickets, beaches, clearings and roadsides in the lowland zone; rare in SW BC, known only from the Tofino-Ucluelet area; S to CA.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Myrica californica Cham.