Myricaceae

Pungently aromatic shrubs with cylindrical to nearly spherical catkins with neither sepals nor petals, twigs that bear orange resinous dots, and root nodules that contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria; includes Bayberry, Sweet Gale and Sweetfern.

Male and female flowers usually in separate catkins; male flowers cylindrical, lax and recurved to stiffly-ascending; female flowers cylindrical, cone-like and stiffly-ascending (Bayberry and Sweet Gale) to spherical and bur-like (Sweetfern). Stamens 2-9 but often appearing to be more numerous due to clustering of flowers. Carpels 2, fused into one ovary but maintaining 2 stigmas. Fruit an achene, beaked nutlet or wax-covered stone (drupe). Wind-pollinated.

Leaves are alternate and simple, with side veins projecting from both sides of central vein (pinnate). Leaves vary from unlobed and lacking stipules, to strongly lobed and having stipules that are eventually deciduous.