Myrsinaceae

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

Read about Myrsinaceae in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Myrsinaceae (from the genus Myrsine, the Greek name of Myrrh). Myrsine Family. Trees or shrubs: leaves usually alternate, coriaceous, glandular-dotted: flowers bisexual or unisexual, regular, often very glandular; calyx 4-5-parted, persistent; corolla gamopetalous, rarely of separate petals, 4-5-lobed; stamens 5, opposite the lobes of the corolla, mostly epipetalous, separate or monadelphous; alternating staminodia often present; ovary superior or inferior, 1-celled, placenta basal or free-central; ovules few or numerous; style and stigma 1: fruit a few-seeded berry or drupe. Widely distributed in the tropics are 32 genera and about 550 species. Two species reach Florida. The family is related to the Primulaceae, but is woody, glandular, and has indehiscent fruits; also related to the Sapotaceae. The leaves of Jacquinia are used in America to stupefy fish; the fruits of this genus are poisonous. The fruits of some species of Ardisia are edible. Bread is made in San Domingo from the crushed seed of Theophrasta Jussieui. About a half-dozen genera are in cultivation in this country, but are little known. Jacquinia and Myrsine are grown in southern Florida and southern California; Ardisia is a genus of greenhouse shrubs. The species ascribed in the trade to Theophrasta on further study have been referred to other genera. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

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