myrica cerifera

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}]
    

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]