Morella caroliniensis
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USDA Plants Database |
Britton & Brown |
| Botanical name: | Morella caroliniensis |
| Common name: | southern bayberry |
| Synonomy: | Cerothamnus caroliniensis Myrica caroliniensis Myrica heterophylla |
| Group: | dicot |
| Family: | Myricaceae |
| Growth type: | tree; shrub |
| Duration: | perennial |
| Origin: | native |
| Plant height: | 7 - 10' |
| Foliage: | alternately arranged and clustered at the ends of the branches. Similar to Morella cerifera but with broader, thicker leaves. Yellow glands on the underside, but unlike cerifera, not generally found on the top surface. Fragrant when crushed. Twigs somewhat hairy, unlike northern baybery (pensylvanica) |
| Flower: | very small, greenish-white |
| Flowering time: | early April to June, before or with the leaves; fruits early August into October. with evergreen leaves. |
| Habitat: | dry or moist grounds of woods and shaded edges, bogs |
| Range in New Jersey: | local through the coastal plain, but into the pine barrens only along the fringes |
| Heritage ranking, if any: | n/a |
| Distribution: |  |
| Misc. | According to Hough, "Very similar to M. pensylvanica and
difficult or impossible to separate in dried specimens; the species
were also confused in the old literature. M. heterophylla [now M.
caroliniensis] has evergreen leaves, shiny above, and the
young fruit are without hair. |