Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Fabids: Fagales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Myrica gale
FAMILY
Myricaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Sweet-gale at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
At one time considered extirpated in NC, as a result of the destruction of the famous East Flat Rock Bog. It has since been relocated in the same county, at a single site, per Weakley's Flora (2022)
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Myrica gale
FAMILY
Myricaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Myrica gale
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Myrica gale
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 052-02-001:
Gale palustris FAMILY Myricaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Myrica gale
COMMON NAME:
Sweet-gale
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
JK Marlow jkm090924_057
September Hancock County ME
Acadia National Park: Wild Gardens of Acadia
Leaves mostly 1-2" long, toothed above the middle, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).
)
JK Marlow jkm090924_058
September Hancock County ME
Acadia National Park: Wild Gardens of Acadia
Twigs of mature plants with catkin buds, or buds pointed, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Myrica gale
FAMILY
Myricaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Myrica gale
FAMILY
Myricaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Myrica gale
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Myrica gale
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 052-02-001:
Gale palustris
FAMILY
Myricaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Myrica gale
585
Shrub
Perennial
Dioecious
Habitat: Peaty bogs and fens, per Weakley's Flora
Native to North Carolina
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Deciduous
Simple
Alternate
FLOWER:
Spring
Sepals absent
Petals absent
4 stamens, usually
Superior ovary
Unisexual
Flowers in catkins
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Green
Nutlet
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- How to Recognize Shrubs (Grimm, 1966) p076
- Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast (Foote & Jones, 1989) p055
- Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance) p37
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p216
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".