资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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.
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.
{Bog myrtle}, the sweet gale.
{Crape myrtle}. See under {Crape}.
{Myrtle warbler} (Zo["o]l.), 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}.
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}.
{Bayberry tallow}, a fragrant green wax obtained from the
bayberry or wax myrtle; -- called also {myrtle wax}.
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}.
资料来源 : WordNet®
Myrica cerifera
n : evergreen aromatic shrubby tree of southeastern United
States having small hard berries thickly coated with
white wax used for candles [syn: {bay myrtle}, {puckerbush}]