Common name: Bog-myrtle
Scientific name: Myrica gale 香楊梅、酸沼楊梅、沼澤楊梅、加萊香楊梅、荷蘭楊梅、香楊梅純露、甜風、沼澤桃金娘
Genus: Myrica 楊梅屬
Family: Myricaceae 楊梅科, bog-myrtle family
Origin: Native
Date: 14th June (flowering) & 30th July (fruiting, on another location)
[109] Suckering*1 (根出條、萌蘖*2) deciduous shrub, can grow to 2m. The plants above were found in lakeside. Abundant in wetter parts of acid bogs and fens, especially where there is moving ground water.
[269] Plant without flowers.
[271] Usually dioecious, occasionally monecious or hermaphrodite. The plant above is a male plant, with male flowers blooming now.
[108] Found on another location on 30th July, already with developing flower buds.
[274_1] Stem with lenticels.
[269_1] Leaves grey-green, glabrous above, toothed towards apex.
[105_1] (Taken on another location) Leaves with yellow resin glands.
[105_2] (Taken on another location) Cropped above to see the yellow glands. Leaves strongly aromatic when crushed (crushed leaves give off a pleasant resinous fragrance).
[104_1] (Taken on another location) Leaf underneath.
[271_1] Leaves alternate. Upper and lower surfaces of newly formed leaves. Underside of leaf is obviously downy 被絨毛的、微柔毛的 now. Note the leaf margins above are smooth instead of toothed towards apex.
[272_2] Underside of leaf is downy.
[271_2] Newly formed branches with leaves.
[111_1] Taken on another location on 30th July, already with developing flower buds.
[272_1] Inflorescence of male flowers.
[277] Male flowers.
[277_1] Cropped above to show the yellow anthers. Perianth absent.
[102] (Taken on another location on 30th July) Fruiting now.
[103_1] (Taken on another location) Cropped above to see the fruits. Withering styles could be seen.
Remarks:
*1: Suckering is defined as a vegetative regeneration process where new shoots emerge from the roots or base of a plant.
*2: 蘖* is pronounced as 孽 in Cantonese.