Morella integra (Western waxberry)

[= Myrica integra]

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Rosids > Eurosid I > Order: Fagales > Family: Myricaceae > Genus: Morella

Identification

A shrub or small tree, growing to 3 m high. The leathery leaves are elongate, up to 7.5 cm long and 1.3 cm wide, and taper basally with a very short petiole. They usually have smooth margins (sometimes fine-toothed) and are conspicuously net-veined (no gland dots as in Morella serrata). Has separate male and female plants (dioecious). Flowers are small and in short spikes. Fruit are spherical and only about 3 mm in diameter and covered in a warty layer of white wax.

Distribution and habitat

Confined to an area of the Western Cape extending roughly from Clanwilliam in the north to Stellenbosch in the south, in mountainous and hilly areas.

Phenology

Usually flowers in March and April although it has also been recorded flowering in September.

Fruit have been recorded in October.

Ecological interactions

No information.

References

• Palgrave, K.C. and Palgrave, M.C. 2002. Trees of Southern Africa. 3rd Edition. Struik Publishers, Cape Town.
• Palmer, E. and Pitman, N. 1972. Trees of Southern Africa covering all known indigenous species in the Republic of South Africa, South-West Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. Volume 1. A.A. Balkema, Cape Town.

Text by Hamish Robertson