bay laurel

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Bay
• Bay Laurel
• Laurel
• Sweetbal-Tree
• Grecian laurel
• bay-leaf laurel
• sweet bay
• Bay Leaf Tree
• Sweet laurel
• royal bay
• true laurel

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Laurus angusta
• Laurus nobilis var. longifolia
• Laurus nobilis var. latifolia
• Laurus tenuifolia
• Laurus undulata
• Laurus nobilis f. lanceolata
• Laurus nobilis f. latifolia
• Laurus nobilis var. rotundifolia
• Laurus nobilis var. lanceolata
• Laurus nobilis var. undulata
• Laurus nobilis var. floribunda
• Laurus nobilis var. angustifolia
• Laurus papillosa
• Laurus nobilis var. variegata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae, the order Laurales, and the family Lauraceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Laurus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range stretching across different regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing in Great Britain and Ireland. Its distribution extends significantly into Southwestern Europe as well. Within this southern region, the species is present in France and on the island of Corse. Additionally, it inhabits the Baleares archipelago, completing its Mediterranean presence.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Laurus nobilis is characterized by its preference for specific geological and topographical conditions, typically thriving within forest ecosystems. It is commonly found colonizing limestone-rich environments and stony places, where the substrate provides the necessary drainage and mineral composition for its development. In terms of altitudinal distribution, the species maintains a mean elevation of 550 m AMSL, occupying a specific niche within these Mediterranean-style woodland habitats.

Elevational range mean:

550 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest, limestone, stony places

Life history

The life history of Laurus nobilis is characterized by its existence as a perennial plant, ensuring its long-term presence within its natural ecosystem. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its photosynthetic organs on woody stems that extend well above the ground, a trait shared across its classification as a phanerophyte. This structural stability is complemented by its evergreen nature, meaning it retains its foliage throughout the year rather than undergoing a seasonal shedding process. This combination of a perennial lifecycle, a phanerophyte life form, and evergreen deciduousness allows the species to maintain consistent metabolic activity and structural integrity over many years.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Laurus nobilis is characterized by its stature as a woody tree, exhibiting a robust and self-supporting growth habit. As a terrestrial species, it grows independently without being an epiphyte or a parasite. The plant reaches a significant size, with an average height of approximately 12 m, though it can reach a maximum height of up to 20 m. Its structure is defined by its woody nature, providing the necessary stability for its tree growth form in its natural terrestrial habitat.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

20 m

Plant height mean:

12 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Laurus nobilis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The leaf morphology plays a critical role in its resource acquisition and water management, exhibiting a specific leaf area (SLA) with a mean value of 86.5 cm²/g. The dimensions of the foliage are quite variable; leaf length typically ranges from a minimum of 5.5 cm to a mean of 8.75 cm, reaching a maximum of 12 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width shows a minimum of 1.8 cm and a mean of 2.5 cm, with a maximum width of 3.2 cm. These morphological parameters collectively reflect the plant's physiological adaptations to its environment, balancing light interception with the structural requirements of its leaf tissue.

Leaf length max:

12 cm

Leaf length mean:

8.75 cm

Leaf length min:

5.5 cm

Leaf width max:

3.2 cm

Leaf width mean:

2.5 cm

Leaf width min:

1.8 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

86.5 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Laurus nobilis is characterized by a bisexual sexual reproductive system that relies on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically through insect interactions. The flowering period is highly flexible, with the flowering start potentially occurring as early as December and extending through all months of the year (January to November), indicating a variable phenology. Following pollination, the plant produces fleshy, indehiscent fruits classified as drupes. These fruits have a mean length of 1.34 cm and a mean width of 1.06 cm. The dispersal of the seeds follows a zoochorous syndrome, meaning they are dispersed by animals. The seeds themselves are substantial, with a mean mass of approximately 0.5688565 g (ranging from a minimum of 0.1184 g to a maximum of 0.7143 g) and a consistent recorded volume of 800 mm³. While the plant exhibits high reproductive potential, it is noted that self-fertilization is absent, necessitating cross-pollination to ensure genetic diversity.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Flowering time :

Dec

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length mean:

1.34 cm

Fruit type :

drupe

Fruit width mean:

1.06 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.7143 g

Seed mass mean:

0.5688565 g

Seed mass min:

0.1184 g

Seed volume max:

800 mm³

Seeds_per_fruit :

>1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Laurus nobilis has 3 reported plant parts identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, flower, fruit.

Leaf

1. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
2. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
3. Chemistry & biodiversity
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Drug discoveries & therapeutics

Flower

1. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Fruit

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Laurus nobilis has 257 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 1,8-Cineole, Linalool, Flavonoids, eugenol, kaempferol.

1,8-Cineole

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutics
3. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Chemistry & biodiversity
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Linalool

1. Dr. Duke
2. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
3. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

eugenol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

kaempferol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Drug discoveries & therapeutics
3. Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy

1,8-Cineol

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
2. Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.)

ALPHA-TERPINYL ACETATE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Artecanin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics

Bicyclogermacrene

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

Borneol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports

Activities

Laurus nobilis has 583 reported activities identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Allelopathic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Scientific reports
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Antimicrobial

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Current medicinal chemistry
4. Frontiers in microbiology
5. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Allelopathic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Cardiovascular & hematological agents in medicinal chemistry

Antiprotozoal

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Anxiolytic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Advances in gerontology = Uspekhi gerontologii

Choleretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Conditions

Laurus nobilis has 23 reported investigations on conditions identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Bacillus subtilis, Listeria monocytogenes, Toxoplasma gondii infection, antioxidant, anxiety.

Bacillus subtilis

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Listeria monocytogenes

1. Letters in applied microbiology

Toxoplasma gondii infection

1. The Journal of veterinary medical science

Antioxidant

1. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Anxiety

1. Advances in gerontology = Uspekhi gerontologii

Breast cancer

1. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Cancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cholesterol

1. Nutrients

Colon cancer

1. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Fungi

1. Natural product research

Preparations

Laurus nobilis has 27 reported preparations identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include essential oils, essential oil, EO, extracts, EOs.

Essential oils

1. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
2. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Natural product research
4. Scientific reports

Essential oil

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Eo

1. Letters in applied microbiology
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

Extracts

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Eos

1. Pharmaceutics

Essential oil

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Essential oil

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Methanol extracts

1. The Journal of veterinary medical science

Acetonic laurus nobilis

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Alcohol extracts

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM