Lauraceae

Lauraceae is a family of flowering plants. They are woody plants with leaves that are usually evergreen. The family includes about 2850 known species in about 50 genera worldwide. They are found mainly in warm temperate and tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia and South America. Many are aromatic evergreen trees or shrubs, but some, such as Sassafras, are deciduous.

Description

Members of the Lauraceae family are trees, shrubs or rarely lianas. The leaves are simple and alternate, and are usually evergreen. They have no stipules. The flowers are small and unscented. The fruit is a drupe.

Distribution and habitat

The Lauraceae family is distributed worldwide, but are especially abundant in Southeast Asia and South America. They are typically found in warm temperate and tropical regions. They are commonly found in forests and woodlands.

Taxonomy

The family Lauraceae was first described by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1807. The name is derived from the type genus Laurus, which was named after the laurel tree.

Genera

The family includes about 50 genera. Some of the most well-known and widely cultivated genera include Cinnamomum, Persea, Sassafras, and Laurus.

Uses

Many species in the Lauraceae family are economically important. For example, Cinnamomum verum is the source of cinnamon, Persea americana is the avocado, and Laurus nobilis is the bay laurel used in cooking. Sassafras albidum is used in the production of sassafras tea and has been used as a flavoring for root beer.

See also

• List of Lauraceae genera

External links

• Lauraceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval.

Lauraceae Resources
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