Vegetative Morphology. 
The tree habit is the most characteristic growth form among neotropical species of 
Cinnamomum. Large trees (up to 30 m tall), for example those of the species C. breedlovei, C. 
costaricanum, C. effusum, C. padiforme, C. pseudoglaziovii, and C. triplinerve, tend to be 
associated with mesic climatic conditions, like those found at middle elevations along mountain 
ranges from southern Mexico to the Andes in Bolivia, and along eastern mountains in Brazil. 
Small trees and shrubs are more characteristic in hotter and/or drier conditions; that is the case 
for instance of C. haussknechtii, C. salicifolium, C. quadrangulum, C. uninervium, and C. 
velvetii. Bark is usually smooth and light colored, brown, reddish brown to grayish brown or 
gray, but very often is covered by lichens that camouflage the original surface of the trunk. 
Twigs commonly are terete and more or less pubescent, but there are few examples where young 
branches are winged or totally glabrous. Hollow twigs have been recorded in a couple of species 
(C. napoense and C. formicarium). Shoot buds are not perulated. 
Leaves are alternate; occasionally subopposite leaves are found in some specimens but 
this condition is never consistent enough to distinguish any species. Petiole is invariably present, 
though sometimes very short, mostly channeled adaxially, rounded abaxially. Leaf shapes and 
sizes do not span a wide range; ovate and elliptic shapes and medium size (5 - 15 cm long) 
constitute the general condition for these features. A remarkable exception is C. formicarium 
with leaves up to 60 cm long and 30 cm wide. Blade margin is always entire, though sometimes 
slightly revolute. Venation pattern also varies little, most species have triplinerved to 
subtriplinerved leaves (figures 1, 6, 13), while just some species are rather strictly pinninerved 
(figures 1, 9, 11, 17), for example C. amplexicaule, C. chiapense, C. chavarrianum, C. 
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