Lauraceae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Laurales Family: Lauraceae
Genera
many, see text

The Lauraceae or Laurel family comprises a group of flowering plants included in the Order Laurales. The Family contains some 40 genera and over 2000 (perhaps as many as 4000) species world-wide, mostly from warm or tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia and Brasil. Most are aromatic evergreen trees or shrubs. However, Cassytha is a genus of parasitic vines.

Trees of the laurel family predominate in the world's laurel forests, which occur in a few humid subtropical and mild temperate regions of the northern and southern hemispheres, including the Macaronesian islands, southern Japan, Madagascar, and central Chile.

Among the best known genera are the following, having species used in commerce:

• Cinnamomum: Cinnamon, Cassia and Camphor
• Laurus: Laurel
• Lindera: Spice bush
• Persea: Avocado
• Sassafras: Sassafras

Genera

Actinodaphne
Adenodaphne
Aiouea
Alseodaphne
Anaueria
Aniba
Apollonias
Aspidostemon
Beilschmiedia
Brassiodendron
Caryodaphnopsis
Chlorocardium
Cinnadenia
Cinnamomum
Clinostemon
Cryptocarya
Dehaasia
Dicypellium
Dodecadenia
Endiandra
Endlicheria
Eusideroxylon
Gamanthera
Hexapora
Hypodaphnis
Iteadaphne
Kubitzkia
Laurus
Licaria
Lindera
Litsea
Machilus (often included in Persea)
Mezilaurus
Nectandra
Neocinnamomum
Neolitsea
Nothaphoebe
Ocotea
Paraia
Persea
Phoebe
Phyllostemonodaphne
Pleurothyrium
Potameia
Potoxylon
Povedadaphne
Ravensara
Rhodostemonodaphne
Sassafras
Syndiclis
Triadodaphne
Umbellularia
Urbanodendron
Williamodendron

References

• Delta (http://biodiversity.uno.edu/delta/angio/www/lauracea.htm) 2003-11-17
• Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The Plant Book. A portable dictionary of the higher plants. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 706 p. ISBN 0 521 34060 8.
• Wagner, W. L., D. R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai'i. Spec. Publ. 83. University of Hawaii Press and Bishop Museum Press. Bishop Museum. 1854 pp.

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