Murta (Myrtus communis, lusitanica form) / Murta (Myrtus communis, forma lusitanica)

Shrub or tree of the Myrtle family, native to Madeira. It is found in Ribeira de João Gomes, in the valley of Machico, etc., and is cultivated in many estates. The branches of the myrtle are widely used to decorate churches during religious festivals, and in the countryside they are scattered in the streets on days of processions. The wood of the myrtle is of a reddish-gray color, hard, and of good quality.