The Myricaceae are a small family of

dicotyledon The dicotyledons, also known as dicots (or, more rarely, dicotyls), are one of the two groups into which all the flowering plants (angiosperms) were formerly divided. The name refers to one of the typical characteristics of the group: namely, t ...

ous

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s and small

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

s in the order

Fagales The Fagales are an order of flowering plants, including some of the best-known trees. The order name is derived from genus ''Fagus'', beeches. They belong among the rosid group of dicotyledons. The families and genera currently included are a ...

. There are three genera in the family, although some

botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...

s separate many species from ''Myrica'' into a fourth genus ''Morella''. About 55 species are usually accepted in ''

Myrica ''Myrica'' is a genus of about 35–50 species of small trees and shrubs in the family Myricaceae, order Fagales. The genus has a wide distribution, including Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America, and missing only from Austral ...

'' (with ''Morella'' included), one in ''

Canacomyrica ''Canacomyrica'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Myricaceae containing the single species ''Canacomyrica monticola''. It is endemic to New Caledonia. This endangered tree or small shrub is limited to ultramafic serpentine s ...

'', and one in '' Comptonia''. Well-known members of this family include

bayberry ''Myrica'' is a genus of about 35–50 species of small trees and shrubs in the family Myricaceae, order Fagales. The genus has a wide distribution, including Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America, and missing only from Aust ...

and

sweetfern ''Comptonia peregrina'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Myricaceae. It is the only extant (living) species in the genus '' Comptonia'', although a number of extinct species are placed in the genus. ''Comptonia peregrina'' is native ...

. * ''

'' Guillaumin 1940 * '' Comptonia'' L'Hér. ex Aiton 1789 * ''

'' L. 1753 (includes: '' Morella'' Lour. 1790)

Systematics

Modern

molecular phylogenetics Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

suggest the following relationships:

References

Rosid families {{Fagales-stub