A modern reference to temperate woody plants, including updated content from this site and much new material, can be found at Trees and Shrubs Online.

Laurus

Family

Lauraceae

Two species of evergreen trees or shrubs with entire, glabrous leaves, aromatic when crushed. Flowers with the sexes on different plants and borne in small, axillary, almost stalkless clusters; sepals four; stamens usually twelve; anthers opening by valves. Fruit a black berry. The name is an old Latin one.

Species articles