10 LAURELTA LAURUS 



both ends, coarsely toothed, dark glossy green and smooth on both 

 surfaces, except for a few centrally attached, flattened hairs beneath ; stalk 

 J in. long, downy. When crushed the leaf has a pleasant, spicy, aromatic 

 fragrance, similar to that of bay laurel. The flowers are v packed in short 

 racemes in the leaf-axils, small and very numerous, yellowish green. The 

 most remarkable feature of the plant are the seeds, which, when they 

 escape from the capsules, are seen to be furnished with a tuft of long fine 

 brown hairs which enable them to travel long distances on the wind. 



Native of Chile. Of this interesting and peculiar tree there are 

 examples in the milder parts of Ireland and in Cornwall. It is only 

 hardy in such places. It flowered in the garden at Kilmacurragh in 

 April 1904. A tree at Penjerrick, near Falmouth, is about 50 ft. high. 



LAURUS NOBILIS, Linnceus. BAY LAUREL. LAURACE^E. 



An evergreen, aromatic tree or shrub, 20 to 40 ft., sometimes 60 ft. 

 high, usually of dense pyramidal shape, and formed of a cluster of 

 erect, much-branched stems; young shoots and leaves smooth. Leaves 

 alternate, narrowly oval or ovate, i J to 4 ins. long, J to \\ ins. wide ; 

 usually about equally tapered to each end, of firm texture, dark glossy 

 green, often with wavy margins ; stalk \ to \ in. long. Flowers greenish 

 yellow, small, very shortly stalked, produced in small umbels in the 

 uppermost leaf-axils: the sexes on different trees. Fruit globose or 

 slightly oval, shining, black, J in. long. 



Native of the Mediterranean region; cultivated in Britain since the 

 sixteenth century, probably before. It is quite hardy at Kew, although 

 occasionally browned by hard winters. This is the true " laurel " of the 

 ancients, and the one whose leaves were used to make crowns for 

 triumphant heroes, and the fruiting sprays to make wreaths for dis- 

 tinguished poets (poets laureate). It is interesting to note in the latter 

 connection that the term "bachelor" as applied to the recipient of 

 degrees, has been derived through the French bachelier from "bacca- 

 laureus,*' i.e. laurel-berry. Nowadays the leaves are put to a more 

 prosaic use, and are commonly used for flavouring milk puddings. It has 

 no relationship with common or cherry laurel (see Prunus Laurocerasus), 

 or with the Alexandrian laurel (see Danae Laurus). 



The bay laurel bears clipping well, and is very largely grown in tubs 

 and pots on the Continent as formal standards or pyramids for the 

 decoration of entrances to mansions, hotels, etc. Perhaps the finest bay 

 laurels in the kingdom are at Margam Park, Glamorgan. Even in 1837 

 there was one 60 ft. high. At Abbazia, on the East Istrian Coast, and 

 at Fiume, across the Bay of Quarnero, I have seen beautiful woods of 

 primeval bay laurel; in these places, growing on rocky sites, they form 

 thickets of slender stems 50 ft. high. 



Var. ANGUSTIFOLIA (syn. salicifolia). The species shows some variation 

 in shape of leaf ; of several forms this is the most distinct. The leaves are 

 iJf to 3^ ins. long, but only \ to f in. wide. 



Van UNDULATA. Leaf-margins conspicuously wavy. 



