Lauraceae

=Family description=
 * Herbs, shrubs, trees** (mostly evergreen) with smooth, thin barks that smell aromatic and often contain resinous sap.
 * Leaves** simple, alternate to opposite to (pseudo-)whorled, generally spirally arranged, margins untoothed, blade often leathery and finely gland dotted, lower surface often bluish-white. No stipules.
 * Flowers** mostly small, greenish-white to yellowish, bisexual or male and female on different trees, crowded in branched clusters or globular heads at leaf axils. Calyx with 3-6-lobes in 2 whorls, no corolla (petals). Stamens usually in 2-4 whorls of 3, 3rd whorl usually with glands at base, inner whorl often sterile and small, anthers opening by 2-4 pores covered by small flaps. Style 1, short, ovary usually superior.
 * Fruits** are drupes, i.e. a single seed surrounded by a thin layer of fleshy tissue, or berries, often black-purple in colour. The fruit stalk often swollen and brightly coloured (red). Calyx persistent.

=General info=
 * Distribution** Pan-tropical, but mostly in Asia and South America. Ca. 3000 species and many ill described genera.
 * Ecology** The trees vary from understorey to canopy size, usually in undisturbed forest, becoming more abundant at higher elevations.
 * Uses** Many essential and aromatic oils/flavorings (cinnamom, camphor), edible fruits (advocado), medicinal, timber (including Ulin or Iron Wood).
 * Similar to** Icacinaceae, but this family differs by having 2 ovules instead of 1 and anthers that don't have pores. Monimiaceae, but this family differs by having dentate leaves.

=Treated genera=
 * Actinodaphne
 * Alseodaphne
 * Cinnamomum
 * Cryptocarya
 * Litsea

[|Laurales.pdf]

Actinodaphne henryi

Alseodaphne elmeri

Cinnamomum iners

Cryptocarya griffithiana

Litsea accedens