Umbellularia californica

(Hooker & Arnott) Nuttall

N. Amer. Sylv. 1: 87. 1842.

Common names: California bay Oregon-myrtle myrtle-wood California laurel pepperwood
Selected by author to be illustrated
Basionym: Species Hooker & Arnott
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.
Revision as of 19:23, 26 July 2019 by FNA>Volume Importer
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Trees or shrubs, to 45 m; twigs terete, glabrous or sparsely appressed-pubescent, rarely minutely tomentose. Leaf-blade deep yellow-green, shiny, narrowly oblong or narrowly elliptic, 3-10 × 1.5-3 cm, base acute or obtuse, apex acute; surfaces abaxially glabrous, sparsely appressed-pubescent or minutely tomentose, adaxially glabrous; domatia absent. Inflorescences pubescent. Flowers 5-10; tepals 6-8 mm. Drupe usually solitary, 2 cm or more diam. 2n =24.

Distribution

w coast, North America

Discussion

Varieties 2

Native Americans used Umbellularia californica for medicinal purposes and occasionally as an insecticide (D. E. Moerman 1986).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Leaf blade abaxially glabrous or sparsely appressed-pubescent. Umbellularia californica var. californica
1 Leaf blade abaxially minutely tomentose. Umbellularia californica var. fresnensis