Myrtus communis Identity & Plant Part
The botanical entity is Myrtus communis L., common myrtle of the Myrtaceae, an evergreen shrub with small, glossy, aromatic leaves dotted with oil glands and white flowers that give way to blue-black berries. The part used is the leaf. The berry, the twig and the root are not part of this myrtle leaf extract.
Name confusion is frequent. Lemon myrtle is Backhousia citriodora and bog myrtle is Myrica gale, both unrelated to this species, and myrtle berry is a different plant part sold as its own ingredient. The leaf holds ellagitannins, flavonoid glycosides and an essential oil, and the water extract keeps mostly the first two, named here as families.












