Myrica rubra, also called yangmei (Chinese: ??; pinyin: yángméi; Cantonese: yeung4 mui4; Shanghainese: [j??.m?]), yamamomo (Japanese: ????, "mountain peach"), Chinese bayberry, Japanese bayberry, red bayberry, yumberry, waxberry, or Chinese strawberry (and often mistranslated from Chinese as arbutus) is a subtropical tree grown for its sweet, crimson to dark purple-red, edible fruit.
Video Myrica rubra
Description
It is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree growing up to 10-20 m (33-66 ft) high, with smooth gray bark and a uniform spherical to hemispherical crown. It is dioecious, with separate male and female plants. It tolerates poor acidic soils. The root system is 5-60 cm (2.0-23.6 in) deep, with no obvious taproot.
The fruit is spherical, 1.5-2.5 cm (0.59-0.98 in) in diameter, with a knobby surface. The surface color is typically a deep, brilliant red, but may vary from white to purple. The flesh color is similar to surface color, or somewhat lighter. The flesh is sweet and very tart. At the center is a single seed, with a diameter about half that of the whole fruit.
Maps Myrica rubra
Taxonomy
Also called Morella rubra Lour.; Myrica rubra var. acuminata Nakai. It is usually cited as Myrica rubra (Lour.) Siebold & Zuccarini. However, in their publication of 1846, Siebold & Zuccarini provided a description only, with no reference, direct or indirect, to Morella rubra Lour. (1790). Therefore, the name Myrica rubra Siebold & Zuccarini must be treated as new, preventing the combination in Myrica of Loureiro's earlier name.
Distribution and habitat
It is native to eastern Asia, mainly in south-central China where it has been grown for at least 2000 years. Chinese cultivation is concentrated south of the Yangtze River, where it has considerable economic importance. Its niche is forests on mountain slopes and valleys at altitudes of 100-1,500 metres (330-4,920 ft).
Uses
The tree is used as ornaments for parks and streets. It is also a traditional tree used in composing classical East Asian gardens.
Products
Some cultivars with large fruit, up to 4 cm in diameter, have been developed. Besides fresh consumption, the fruits may be dried, canned, soaked in baijiu (Chinese liquor), or fermented into alcoholic beverages. Dried fruits are often prepared in the manner of dry huamei (Prunus mume with flavorings such as licorice). The juice has been commercialised under the brand name "Yumberry" under which name it is trade-marked 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.
Other uses include
- bottled pasteurized juice or juice blends
- dye prepared from the bark
- yogurt flavoring
- blended jam and preserves
Research and components
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
- presence of Frankia bacteria having nitrogen-fixing properties in root nodules
- microbial characteristics of the subcanopy soil
- niche characteristics in the forest environment
- growth of pollen tubes
The scientific literature is diverse, with studies of phytochemicals from bark, leaves and fruit. Studies are conducted on polyphenols, particularly ellagic acid, prodelphinidin-type tannins, and anthocyanins, and their possible biological properties in vitro.
An extract from fruit called myricerone blocks a receptor for the peptide, endothelin in vitro, an important mediator of blood vessel constriction, indicating potential for drug development.
Culture
In Japan, it is the prefectural flower of K?chi and the prefectural tree of Tokushima. The plant's name appears in many old Japanese poems.
References
External links
- Myrica rubra photos
- Karp, David (12 December 2007). "From China, Only in a Bottle, a Berry With an Alluring Name". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
- Joyce, Daryl; Tahir Khurshid; Shiming Liu; Graeme McGregor; Jianrong Li; Yeuming Jiang (December 2005). Red bayberry - a new and exciting crop for Australia?. Barton, Australian Capital Territory: Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. ISBN 978-1-74151-144-4. OCLC 223913003. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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