The flowering plant family Lauraceae, the laurels, includes the true laurel and its closest relatives. This family comprises about 2850 known species in about 45 genera worldwide. They are dicotyledons, and occur 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, or include both deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs, especially in tropical and temperate climates. The genus Cassytha is unique in the Lauraceae in that its members are parasitic vines.
Laurel forest, also called laurisilva or laurissilva, is a type of subtropical forest found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable, mild temperatures. The forest is characterized by broadleaf tree species with evergreen, glossy and elongated leaves, known as "laurophyll" or "lauroid". Plants from the laurel family (Lauraceae) may or may not be present, depending on the location.
Machilus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lauraceae. It is found in temperate, subtropical, and tropical forest, occurring in China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Borneo, and the Philippines. It is sometimes included in the genus Persea, and currently includes about 100 species.
Beilschmiedia tarairi, commonly called taraire, is a tree of the family Lauraceae, endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. It is a common canopy tree in lowland forests north of Auckland, often growing in association with kauri, pohutukawa, tawapou, and puriri on basalt rocks and soils. Beilschmiedia is a genus of about 40 mainly tropical trees and shrubs with alternate to opposite leaves.
Neocinnamomum is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Lauraceae. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees, indigenous to Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia (Sumatra), Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Actinodaphne is an Asian genus of the family Lauraceae, bay laurel-related, that comprises a group of flowering plants within the order Laurales.
Neolitsea dealbata, also known as hairy-leaved bolly gum, is a shrub or tree, in the family Lauraceae, which is native to Australia.
Actinodaphne cuspidata is a species of plant in the family Lauraceae. It is a tree endemic to Peninsular Malaysia. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Actinodaphne fragilis is a species of plant in the family Lauraceae. It is a tree endemic to Peninsular Malaysia.
Actinodaphne malaccensis is a species of tree in the laurel family, Lauraceae. It is native to Malaysia and Singapore. It is used for timber.
Actinodaphne montana is a species of plant in the family Lauraceae. It is a tree endemic to Peninsular Malaysia. The Latin specific epithet montana refers to mountains or coming from mountains.
Actinodaphne pruinosa is a species of plant in the family Lauraceae. It is a tree found in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.
Beilschmiedia is a genus of trees and shrubs in family Lauraceae. Most of its species grow in tropical climates, but a few of them are native to temperate regions, and they are widespread in tropical Asia, Africa, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. The best-known species to gardeners in temperate areas are B. berteroana and B. miersii because of their frost tolerance. Seeds of B. bancroftii were used as a source of food by Australian Aborigines. Timbers of some species are very valuable.
Ocotea porosa is a species of plant in the Lauraceae, often placed in the related genus Phoebe. It is commonly called imbuia or Brazilian walnut because its wood resembles that of some walnuts. The tree is a major commercial timber species in Brazil, used for high-end furniture, mostly as decorative veneers, and as flooring. The wood is very hard, measuring 3,684 lbf on the Janka scale. The wood is also fragrant with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. The tree is also a popular horticultural tree in subtropical regions of the world. In its native habitat it is a threatened species.
Dodecadenia is a botanical genus of flowering plants of the family Lauraceae. It is present from central Asia, to Himalayas and India. It is present in tropical and subtropical montane rainforest, laurel forest, in the Weed-tree forests in valleys, mixed forests of coniferous and deciduous broad-leaved trees, Tsuga forests; 2,000–2,600 metres (6,600–8,500 ft) in China in provinces of Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan, and countries of Bhutan, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.
Dehaasia is a genus of evergreen or deciduous trees or shrubs belonging to the laurel family, Lauraceae, with 53 species native to continental Asia, from India to China, and islands of Borneo, New Guinea, and Indonesia.
Syndiclis is a genus of plant in the family Lauraceae, occurring in East and South East Asia, from India and China to Indonesia with 12 species known. About ten species in Bhutan and China; nine species present in China and endemic there.
Actinodaphne speciosa, known as elephant ears, is a species of plant in the family Lauraceae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.
Cinnamomum kanehirae, also known as small-flowered camphor tree, or stout camphor tree, is a tree within the genus Cinnamomum of the family Lauraceae endemic to Taiwan.
Actinodaphne bourdillonii is a species of the genus Actinodaphne of the flowering plant family Lauraceae, commonly called the malavirinji, eeyoli, and pisa. Its general habitat is shola and evergreen forests. It is endemic to the Southern Western Ghats.
