Persea borbonia

(Linnaeus) Sprengel

Syst. Veg. 2: 268. 1825.

Common names: Red bay
EndemicIllustrated
Basionym: Laurus borbonia Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1: 370. 1753
Synonyms: Persea littoralis Small Tamala borbonia (Linnaeus) Rafinesque Tamala littoralis (Small) Small
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Trees, to 25 m. Branches appressed-pubescent. Leaf-blade narrowly elliptic to widely ovate, 6-16 × 2-5 cm; surfaces abaxially pale, glaucous, moderately pubescent when young with rusty brown, appressed hairs, glabrescent with age, adaxially green, lustrous. Inflorescences: peduncle equal to or shorter than subtending leaf petiole, pubescent. Drupe (8-) 10 mm diam., usually glaucous. 2n = 24.


Phenology: Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat: In hammocks, mixed hardwoods, coastal dunes, maritime forests, outer Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains, rarely in the Piedmont
Elevation: 0-100 m

Distribution

V3 912-distribution-map.gif

Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tex.

Discussion

Some Native Americans used Persea borbonia for medicinal purposes (D. E. Moerman 1986).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Persea borbonia"
B. Eugene Wofford +
(Linnaeus) Sprengel +
reddish-brown +
fissured +
persistent +
Laurus borbonia +
deciduous +
appressed-pubescent +
Red bay +
compound +  and pedunculate +
Ala. +, Ark. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, La. +, Miss. +, N.C. +, S.C. +  and Tex. +
dark blue;black +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
globose +
0-100 m +
pistillate +  and staminate +
reddish;usually yellow;greenish or white +
In hammocks, mixed hardwoods, coastal dunes, maritime forests, outer Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains, rarely in the Piedmont +
rusty brown +
6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br /> (16 cm160 mm <br />0.16 m <br />) +
narrowly elliptic +  and widely ovate +
petiolate +  and simple +
aromatic +
globose +
Flowering spring–early summer. +
Endemic +  and Illustrated +
capitate +  and discoid +
green +  and pale +
glabrescent +, pubescent +  and glaucous +
Persea littoralis +, Tamala borbonia +  and Tamala littoralis +
Persea borbonia +
species +
persistent +
3 +  and 6 +
unequal +  and smaller +
medium-sized +
3 +  and 2 +