Lauraceae

Lauraceae

Lauraceae (pronounced /lɔːˈreɪsiː/), also known as the Laurel family, is a family of flowering plants. 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.

Etymology

The name Lauraceae comes from the type genus Laurus, which in turn is derived from the Latin word "laurus", meaning "laurel". This is a reference to the leaves of these plants, which are often aromatic and similar to bay laurel in appearance.

Description

Members of the Lauraceae family are trees, shrubs, or rarely lianas. They are characterized by simple, alternate, evergreen leaves with pinnate venation. The flowers are small and bisexual, usually greenish in color. The fruit is a drupe.

Genera

Some of the notable genera in the Lauraceae family include:

• Laurus - includes the bay tree (Laurus nobilis), the source of bay leaves used in cooking.
• Cinnamomum - includes the trees that produce cinnamon and camphor.
• Persea - includes the avocado (Persea americana).
• Sassafras - includes the sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum), known for its aromatic properties.

Economic Importance

Many species in the Lauraceae family have economic importance. For example, the Cinnamomum genus includes the trees that produce cinnamon, one of the most common spices. The Persea genus includes the avocado, a fruit that is a major agricultural commodity. The Sassafras genus includes the sassafras tree, which is used in the production of sassafras tea and traditional root beer.

Related Terms

• Drupe - a type of fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell of hardened endocarp with a seed inside.
• Liana - a type of long-stemmed, woody vine that is rooted in the soil at ground level and uses trees to climb to the canopy to get access to well-lit areas of the forest.
• Pinnate venation - a type of leaf venation where the veins extend from the midrib to the leaf margin.

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Lauraceae
• Wikipedia's article - Lauraceae

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