Myrica rubra

Myrica rubra is an evergreen tree that grows to a height of up to {{Convert|10|-|20|m|ft|abbr=on}} high, with smooth gray bark and a uniform spherical to hemispherical crown. Leaves are leathery, bare, elliptic-obovate to oval lanceolate in shape, wedge-shaped at the base and rounded to pointed or tapered at the apex, margin is serrated or serrated in the upper half, with a length of {{Convert|5|-|14|cm|in|abbr=on}} and a width of {{Convert|1|-|4|cm|in|abbr=on}}. Leaves are alternately arranged on the branches are divided into petiole and leaf blade. The petiole is {{Convert|2|-|10|mm|in|abbr=on}} long. The leaf underside is pale green and sparsely to moderately golden glandular, the top surface is dark green.{{cite web | title=Myrica rubra in Flora of China @ efloras.org | website=eFloras.org Home | date=2000-06-09 | url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200006094 | access-date=2020-07-30}}

The species is dioecious. Male flowers with simple or unobtrusively branched bracts, are held in inflorescences individually or occasionally in groups of a few inflorescences in the leaf axils. Female flowers are {{Convert|1| - |3|cm|in|abbr=on}} long, in inflorescences with bare stems, the bracts almost circular with a diameter of about 1 millimeter, and have golden glands on the underside. The male flowers are accompanied by two to four egg-shaped, sparse lanceolate leaves. Each male flower contains four to six stamens with dark red, elliptical anthers.

Female inflorescences are single with multi-flowered spikes of {{Convert|0.5| - |1.5|cm|in|abbr=on}}in length standing in the leaf axils. The rhachis is hairy and glandular. The cover sheets overlap, are hairless and only unobtrusively glandular. Female flowers are accompanied by four leaves. The upper ovary is velvety hairy, with a stylus with a two-lobed scar. There are two slender scar lobes that are colored bright red.

The flowering period extends from March to April in China, with fruits developing from May to June. The fruit is spherical, typically {{Convert|1.5|-|2.5|cm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} in diameter, with diameters up to 3 centimeters, a knobby surface. The surface is a thick-skinned, typically a crimson red, but may vary from white to purple, with similar or somewhat lighter flesh color. At the center is a single seed, with a diameter about half that of the whole fruit. The flesh is sweet and very tart.

Myrica rubra4.jpg|Flowers

Morella rubra - Leping, Jiangxi, China 2014.06.15 11-43-07.jpg|Fruit

Myrica rubra1.jpg|Leaves

File:Berkeley Yangmei Tree.jpg|Tree

File:Ripe yangmei.jpg|Ripe Fruit

The plant was first described by João de Loureiro in Flora Cochinchinensis, 2, page 548 in 1790 under the name (basionym) Morella rubra {{cite book | last1=Loureiro | first1=João de | last2=Lisboa. | first2=Academia das Ciências de | title=Flora cochinchinensis | website=Biodiversity Heritage Library | year=1790 | volume=v.2 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/654241 | access-date=2020-07-30}} The species was moved to the genus Myrica as Myrica rubra {{small|(Lour.) Siebold & Zucc}}. by Philipp Franz von Siebold and Joseph Gerhard von Zuccarini in treatises of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences. Mathematical and natural science class, volume 4, number 3, page 230 published.

In studies of germplasm, it was clearly distinguished from wax myrtle, and could be subdivided into two groups unrelated to the sex of the plant, but more so by the geographic region in China where the accession originated.{{cite journal | last1=Zhang | first1=Shuiming | last2=Gao | first2=Zhongshan | last3=Xu | first3=Changjie | last4=Chen | first4=Kunsong | last5=Wang | first5=Guoyun | last6=Zheng | first6=Jintu | last7=Lu | first7=Ting | title=Genetic diversity of Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.) accessions revealed by amplified fragment length polymorphism | journal=HortScience | volume=44 | issue=2 | year=2009 | issn=0018-5345 | doi=10.21273/hortsci.44.2.487 | pages=487–491| doi-access=free }}{{cite journal | last1=Jia | first1=Hui-min | last2=Jiao | first2=Yun | last3=Wang | first3=Guo-yun | last4=Li | first4=Ying-hui | last5=Jia | first5=Hui-juan | last6=Wu | first6=Hong-xia | last7=Chai | first7=Chun-yan | last8=Dong | first8=Xiao | last9=Guo | first9=Yanping | last10=Zhang | first10=Liping | last11=Gao | first11=Qi-kang | last12=Chen | first12=Wei | last13=Song | first13=Li-juan | last14=van de Weg | first14=Eric | last15=Gao | first15=Zhong-shan | title=Genetic diversity of male and female Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra) populations and identification of sex-associated markers | journal=BMC Genomics | volume=16 | issue=1 | pages=394 | date=19 May 2015 | issn=1471-2164 | doi=10.1186/s12864-015-1602-5 | pmid=25986380 | pmc=4436740 | doi-access=free }} Among regions in China, accessions varied within regions, indicating extensive gene mixing. Nearly 100 cultivars of M. rubra exist in China alone. Zhejiang Province is a possible center of diversity for the plant in China.

Chromosome count is 2n = 16{{cite web | title=Name - Myrica rubra (Lour.) Siebold & Zucc. | website=Tropicos | date=2020-07-30 | url=http://legacy.tropicos.org/Name/21700085?projectid=9 | access-date=2020-07-30}}

It is native to eastern Asia, mainly in south-central China in province of Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Zhejiang; Japan, Korea, and the Philippines in forests on mountain slopes and valleys at elevations of {{Convert|100–1500|m|ft}}. Seeds are dispersed by Japanese macaques{{cite journal | last1=Terakawa | first1=Mari | last2=Isagi | first2=Yuji | last3=Matsui | first3=Kiyoshi | last4=Yumoto | first4=Takakazu | title=Microsatellite analysis of the maternal origin of Myrica rubra seeds in the feces of Japanese macaques | journal=Ecological Research | volume=24 | issue=3 | date=2008-08-26 | issn=0912-3814 | doi=10.1007/s11284-008-0537-6 | pages=663–670| s2cid=40025805 }} and Yakushima macaques.{{cite journal | last1=Agetsuma | first1=Naoki | last2=Noma | first2=Naohiko | title=Rapid shifting of foraging pattern by Yakushima macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui) in response to heavy fruiting of Myrica rubra | journal=International Journal of Primatology | volume=16 | issue=2 | year=1995 | doi=10.1007/bf02735480 | pages=247–260| s2cid=1265349 }}

File:The American garden (1891) (18149564851).jpg

File:Purple pearl yangmei in Fremont, California.jpg

Chinese cultivation is concentrated south of the Yangtze River, where it has considerable economic importance and has been grown for at least 2000 years.{{cite journal|pmid=23605674|year=2013|last1=Sun|first1=C|title=Biological activities of extracts from Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.): A review|journal=Plant Foods for Human Nutrition|volume=68|issue=2|pages=97–106|last2=Huang|first2=H|last3=Xu|first3=C|last4=Li|first4=X|last5=Chen|first5=K|doi=10.1007/s11130-013-0349-x|bibcode=2013PFHN...68...97S |s2cid=44569467}}

It tolerates poor acidic soils. The root system is {{Convert|5|–|60|cm|in|abbr=on}} deep, with no obvious taproot.

Myrica rubra was first introduced into the United States by Frank Nicholas Meyer from seed purchased from the Yokohama Nursery Co. in Japan and published in the Bulletin of Foreign Plant Introductions in 1918.{{cite book | title=Bulletin of Foreign Plant Introductions | year=1918 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rjsCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1522-IA2 | access-date=2020-07-30 | page=1522-IA2}} Plants from the collection were grown and fruited in Chico, California and in Brooksville, Florida by David Fairchild.{{cite book | title=Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences | publisher=Washington Academy of Sciences | issue=v. 12 | year=1922 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XLZMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA275 | access-date=2020-07-30 | page=275}} M. rubra is being commercialized in California by Calmei, a California corporation.{{cite web |title=Calmei |url=http://calmei-yangmei.com/ |website=Calmei}}{{cite web | title=Yum's the word | website=California Bountiful | date=2012-03-27 | url=http://www.californiabountiful.com/features/article.aspx?arID=2451 | access-date=2020-07-30}} Trees are prolific producers, with a single tree yielding some {{convert|100|kg}} of fruit.{{cite book |first=Daryl |last=Joyce |author2=Tahir Khurshid |author3=Shiming Liu |author4=Graeme McGregor |author5=Jianrong Li |author6=Yeuming Jiang |date=December 2005 |title=Red bayberry – a new and exciting crop for Australia? |url=http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=515.0 |publisher=Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation |location=Barton, Australian Capital Territory |isbn=978-1-74151-144-4 |oclc=223913003 |accessdate=23 June 2009}} As of 2007, 865,000 acres were devoted to yangmei production in China{{snd}}double the amount of acres utilized in apple production in the United States.{{cite news |last1=Karp |first1=David |title=From China, Only in a Bottle, a Berry With an Alluring Name |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/dining/12yumb.html|date=12 December 2007 |accessdate=14 September 2018 |newspaper=The New York Times}}

The tree is used as ornaments for parks and streets. It is also a traditional tree used in composing classical East Asian gardens.

Some cultivars with large fruit, up to {{convert|4|cm|in}} in diameter, have been developed. Besides fresh consumption, the fruits may be dried, canned, soaked in baijiu (Chinese liquor), or fermented into alcoholic beverages, such as wine, beer, or cocktails. Dried fruits are often prepared in the manner of dry huamei (Prunus mume with flavorings such as licorice or salty licorice). The juice has been commercialised under the brand name "Yumberry" under which name it is trademarked in the EU. In Yunnan Province in China, there are two main types of yangmei, a sour type used for making dried fruit and a sweet type used for juice and fresh eating.

In the Philippines, they are dried and preserved in brine and vinegar and made into champóy, the local version of the Chinese huamei.{{cite book |last1=Polistico |first1=Edgie |title=Philippine Food, Cooking, & Dining Dictionary |date=2017 |publisher=Anvil Publishing, Inc. |isbn=9786214200870}}{{cite web |title=Tsampoy |url=https://www.tagaloglang.com/tsampoy/ |website=Tagalog Lang |access-date=1 November 2021}}

Other uses include

• bottled pasteurized juice or juice blends
• dye prepared from the bark
• yogurt flavoring
• blended jam and preserves

Various species of Myrica have been studied scientifically for horticultural characteristics or phytochemicals implicated with health benefits. Dating to 1951, the horticultural literature includes studies on

• nitrogen-fixing ability of the root nodules system{{cite journal |vauthors=Vandenbosch KA, Torrey JG |title=Consequences of Sporangial Development for Nodule Function in Root Nodules of Comptonia peregrina and Myrica gale |journal=Plant Physiology |volume=76 |issue=3 |pages=556–560 |date=November 1984 |pmid=16663881 |pmc=1064330 |doi=10.1104/pp.76.3.556}}
• presence of Frankia bacteria having nitrogen-fixing properties in root nodules{{cite journal |vauthors=Huguet V, Batzli JM, Zimpfer JF, Normand P, Dawson JO, Fernandez MP |title=Diversity and Specificity of Frankia Strains in Nodules of Sympatric Myrica gale, Alnus incana, and Shepherdia canadensis Determined by rrs Gene Polymorphism |journal=Applied and Environmental Microbiology |volume=67 |issue=5 |pages=2116–2122 |date=May 2001 |pmid=11319089 |pmc=92844 |doi=10.1128/AEM.67.5.2116-2122.2001|bibcode=2001ApEnM..67.2116H }}{{cite journal |vauthors=Huguet V, Mergeay M, Cervantes E, Fernandez MP |title=Diversity of Frankia strains associated to Myrica gale in Western Europe: impact of host plant (Myrica vs. Alnus) and of edaphic factors |journal=Environmental Microbiology|volume=6 |issue=10 |pages=1032–1041 |date=October 2004 |pmid=15344928 |doi=10.1111/j.1462-2920.2004.00625.x|bibcode=2004EnvMi...6.1032H }}
• microbial characteristics of the subcanopy soil{{cite journal |vauthors=Pozuelo González JM, Gutiérrez Mañero FJ, Llinares Pinel F, Bermúdez de Castro F |title=[Density and activity of microorganisms of the carbon cycle under the canopy of Myrica gale L.] |language=Spanish|journal=Microbiología |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=32–38 |date=April 1992 |pmid=1605919}}
• niche characteristics in the forest environment{{cite journal |vauthors=Su Z, Wu D, Chen B |title=[Niche characteristics of dominant populations in natural forest in north Guangdong] |language=Chinese |journal=Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao: Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=25–29 |date=January 2003 |pmid=12722433}}
• growth of pollen tubes{{cite journal |vauthors=Sogo A, Tobe H |title=Mode of Pollen-Tube Growth in Pistils of Myrica rubra (Myricaceae): A Comparison with Related Families |journal=Annals of Botany |volume=97 |issue=1 |pages=71–77 |date=January 2006 |pmid=16291781 |doi=10.1093/aob/mcj015 |pmc=2803377}}

Archaeological and written evidence suggest that yangmei cultivation first took place in China over 2,000 years ago during the Han dynasty. Yangmei is mentioned throughout Chinese literature, including several appearances in Li Bai's poems.{{cite web |last1=Wende |first1=Meng Meng |title=Ancient and Modern Yangmei Poems |url=https://www.douban.com/note/184238212/ |website=Douban |accessdate=14 September 2018}}

In Japan, it is the prefectural flower of Kōchi and the prefectural tree of Tokushima. The plant's name appears in many old Japanese poems.

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{Commons category-inline|Myrica rubra}}
• {{Wikispecies-inline|Morella rubra|Myrica rubra}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q311617}}

{{Authority control}}

rubra

Category:Berries

Category:Endemic flora of China

Category:Trees of China

Category:Flora of South-Central China

Category:Garden plants of Asia

Category:Ornamental trees

Category:Dioecious plants

Category:Plants described in 1846

Category:Taxa named by Philipp Franz von Siebold

Category:Taxa named by Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini