Botanical Family · Laurales

Lauraceae

Laurel/Cinnamon family

46 speciesOrder Laurales8+ well-known plants

The laurel family of aromatic trees and shrubs, providing cinnamon, avocado, bay leaf, and camphor. Among the dominant canopy trees of humid tropical forests worldwide. Leaves contain essential oils and are typically simple, entire, and glossy.

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Representative specimen · Lauraceae

Key pattern

Aromatic, usually evergreen trees and shrubs with alternate leaves and small, petal-less flowers in loose clusters.

The spicy fragrance — think bay leaf and cinnamon — runs through the whole plant, not just the familiar spice parts.

Identify the species

Which Lauraceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Lauraceae species.

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan

Fruit MarkAnything distinctive about the fruit?

Large pear-shaped edible fruit

Not sure / other

Ordinary small drupe

Small berry-like drupe on a cup

Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?

Glabrous

Glabrous (smooth, hairless)

Not sure / other

Pubescent (softly hairy)

AromaDoes the bark or leaves have a strong recognizable smell?

Camphor scent

Cinnamon/spice scent

Not sure / other

How to recognise the Lauraceae family

01
Aromatic bark and leaves
02
Small 6-tepalled flowers, stamens in whorls
03
Single-seeded drupe or berry

Family identification method

To check whether a plant belongs to Lauraceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.

Learn the full family-identification method