Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Myrtle \Myr"tle\ (m[~e]r"t'l), n. [F. myrtil bilberry, prop., a
   little myrtle, from myrte myrtle, L. myrtus, murtus, Gr.
   my`rtos; cf. Per. m[=u]rd.] (Bot.)
   A species of the genus {Myrtus}, especially {Myrtus
   communis}. The common myrtle has a shrubby, upright stem,
   eight or ten feet high. Its branches form a close, full head,
   thickly covered with ovate or lanceolate evergreen leaves. It
   has solitary axillary white or rosy flowers, followed by
   black several-seeded berries. The ancients considered it
   sacred to Venus. The flowers, leaves, and berries are used
   variously in perfumery and as a condiment, and the
   beautifully mottled wood is used in turning.

   Note: The name is also popularly but wrongly applied in
         America to two creeping plants, the blue-flowered
         periwinkle and the yellow-flowered moneywort. In the
         West Indies several myrtaceous shrubs are called
         myrtle.

   {Bog myrtle}, the sweet gale.

   {Crape myrtle}. See under {Crape}.

   {Myrtle warbler} (Zo["o]l.), a North American wood warbler
      ({Dendroica coronata}); -- called also {myrtle bird},
      {yellow-rumped warbler}, and {yellow-crowned warbler}.

   {Myrtle wax}. (Bot.) See {Bayberry tallow}, under {Bayberry}.
      

   {Sand myrtle}, a low, branching evergreen shrub ({Leiophyllum
      buxifolium}), growing in New Jersey and southward.

   {Wax myrtle} ({Myrica cerifera}). See {Bayberry}.



   {Sand grouse} (Zo["o]l.), any one of many species of Old
      World birds belonging to the suborder Pterocletes, and
      resembling both grouse and pigeons. Called also {rock
      grouse}, {rock pigeon}, and {ganga}. They mostly belong to
      the genus {Pterocles}, as the common Indian species ({P.
      exustus}). The large sand grouse ({P. arenarius}), the
      painted sand grouse ({P. fasciatus}), and the pintail sand
      grouse ({P. alchata}) are also found in India. See Illust.
      under {Pterocletes}.

   {Sand hill}, a hill of sand; a dune.

   {Sand-hill crane} (Zo["o]l.), the American brown crane ({Grus
      Mexicana}).

   {Sand hopper} (Zo["o]l.), a beach flea; an orchestian.

   {Sand hornet} (Zo["o]l.), a sand wasp.

   {Sand lark}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) A small lark ({Alaudala raytal}), native of India.
      (b) A small sandpiper, or plover, as the ringneck, the
          sanderling, and the common European sandpiper.
      (c) The Australian red-capped dotterel ({[AE]gialophilus
          ruficapillus}); -- called also {red-necked plover}.

   {Sand launce} (Zo["o]l.), a lant, or launce.

   {Sand lizard} (Zo["o]l.), a common European lizard ({Lacerta
      agilis}).

   {Sand martin} (Zo["o]l.), the bank swallow.

   {Sand mole} (Zo["o]l.), the coast rat.

   {Sand monitor} (Zo["o]l.), a large Egyptian lizard ({Monitor
      arenarius}) which inhabits dry localities.

   {Sand mouse} (Zo["o]l.), the dunlin. [Prov. Eng.]

   {Sand myrtle}. (Bot.) See under {Myrtle}.

   {Sand partridge} (Zo["o]l.), either of two small Asiatic
      partridges of the genus {Ammoperdix}. The wings are long
      and the tarsus is spurless. One species ({A. Heeji})
      inhabits Palestine and Arabia. The other species ({A.
      Bonhami}), inhabiting Central Asia, is called also {seesee
      partridge}, and {teehoo}.

   {Sand picture}, a picture made by putting sand of different
      colors on an adhesive surface.

   {Sand pike}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) The sauger.
      (b) The lizard fish.

   {Sand pillar}, a sand storm which takes the form of a
      whirling pillar in its progress in desert tracts like
      those of the Sahara and Mongolia.

   {Sand pipe} (Geol.), a tubular cavity, from a few inches to
      several feet in depth, occurring especially in calcareous
      rocks, and often filled with gravel, sand, etc.; -- called
      also {sand gall}.

   {Sand pride} (Zo["o]l.), a small British lamprey now
      considered to be the young of larger species; -- called
      also {sand prey}.

   {Sand pump}, in artesian well boring, a long, slender bucket
      with a valve at the bottom for raising sand from the well.
      

   {Sand rat} (Zo["o]l.), the pocket gopher.

   {Sand rock}, a rock made of cemented sand.

   {Sand runner} (Zo["o]l.), the turnstone.

   {Sand saucer} (Zo["o]l.), the mass of egg capsules, or
      o["o]thec[ae], of any mollusk of the genus {Natica} and
      allied genera. It has the shape of a bottomless saucer,
      and is coated with fine sand; -- called also {sand
      collar}.

   {Sand screw} (Zo["o]l.), an amphipod crustacean
      ({Lepidactylis arenarius}), which burrows in the sandy
      seabeaches of Europe and America.

   {Sand shark} (Zo["o]l.), an American shark ({Odontaspis
      littoralis}) found on the sandy coasts of the Eastern
      United States; -- called also {gray shark}, and {dogfish
      shark}. See Illust. under {Remora}.

   {Sand skink} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of Old
      World lizards belonging to the genus {Seps}; as, the
      ocellated sand skink ({Seps ocellatus}) of Southern
      Europe.

   {Sand skipper} (Zo["o]l.), a beach flea, or orchestian.

   {Sand smelt} (Zo["o]l.), a silverside.

   {Sand snake}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) Any one of several species of harmless burrowing
          snakes of the genus {Eryx}, native of Southern Europe,
          Africa, and Asia, especially {E. jaculus} of India and
          {E. Johnii}, used by snake charmers.
      (b) Any innocuous South African snake of the genus
          {Psammophis}, especially {P. sibilans}.

   {Sand snipe} (Zo["o]l.), the sandpiper.

   {Sand star} (Zo["o]l.), an ophiurioid starfish living on
      sandy sea bottoms; a brittle star.

   {Sand storm}, a cloud of sand driven violently by the wind.
      

   {Sand sucker}, the sandnecker.

   {Sand swallow} (Zo["o]l.), the bank swallow. See under
      {Bank}.

   {Sand tube}, a tube made of sand. Especially:
      (a) A tube of vitrified sand, produced by a stroke of
          lightning; a fulgurite.
      (b) (Zo["o]l.) Any tube made of cemented sand.
      (c) (Zo["o]l.) In starfishes, a tube having calcareous
          particles in its wall, which connects the oral water
          tube with the madreporic plate.

   {Sand viper}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Hognose snake}.

   {Sand wasp} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of
      hymenopterous insects belonging to the families
      {Pompilid[ae]} and {Spherid[ae]}, which dig burrows in
      sand. The female provisions the nest with insects or
      spiders which she paralyzes by stinging, and which serve
      as food for her young.

Source : WordNet®

sand myrtle
     n : low-growing evergreen shrub of New Jersey to Florida grown
         for its many white star-shaped flowers and glossy foliage
         [syn: {Leiophyllum buxifolium}]