Myrica

Myrica /mɪˈraɪkə/ 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 Australia. Some botanists split the genus into two genera on the basis of the catkin and fruit structure, restricting Myrica to a few species, and treating the others in Morella.

Common names include bayberry, bay-rum tree, candleberry, sweet gale, and wax-myrtle. The generic name was derived from the Greek word μυρικη (myrike), meaning "fragrance."

Characteristics

The species vary from 1 m shrubs up to 20 m trees; some are deciduous, but the majority of species are evergreen. The roots have nitrogen-fixing bacteria which enable the plants to grow on soils that are very poor in nitrogen content. The leaves are spirally arranged, simple, 2–12 cm long, oblanceolate with a tapered base and broader tip, and a crinkled or finely toothed margin. The flowers are catkins, with male and female catkins usually on separate plants (dioecious). The fruit is a small drupe, usually with a wax coating.

Myrika

Myrika or Myrica was a city in Galatia Salutaris (in Asia Minor), known for its hot springs, and which was also a bishopric.

Description

Because of the mention of the hot springs in the signature of the bishop at the Council of Chalcedon, William Mitchell Ramsay identified this city with the town known in his time (19th century) as Saint Agapetos (in Greek Ἅγιος Ἀγαπητός). He interpreted as a change of name, not of location, the contrast between earlier sources such as this, which speak of a bishopric of Myrika (Myrica), and the references to a see of Saint Agapetos in later Notitiae Episcopatuum and in the signature of a bishop at the Quinisext Council of 692.

However, Ramsay also mentioned the existence within Galatia Salutaris of other hot springs at "the Merkez of the Haimane", and some identify with "the ancient Myrica Therma" the volcanically heated baths of Haymana, Ankara, which are reputed to have healing properties, especially for arthritis, rheumatism and gynaecological disorders.