20 



YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES 



CALIFORNIA LAUREL 

 Umbellularia californica (Hook & Am ) Nutt. — Laurel Family (Lauraceae) 



This tree is rendered distinctive by 

 the thick, glossy, short-stemmed, ever- 

 green leaves which exude a pene- 

 trating, camphor-like odor when 

 crushed. The leaves are alternate on 

 the branches, three to six inches long, 

 and from one-half to one and one- 

 half inches wide at maturity. New 

 leaves are produced throughout the 

 summer and they persist on the tree 

 from two to, occasionally, six years. 



In Yosemite National Park the 

 California laurel, which is also com- 

 monly known as pepperwood, Cali- 

 fornia bay, and Oregon myrtle, is 

 quite common in moist, rocky soils 

 at the base of cliffs bordering canyons 

 at elevations from 3,000 to 5,000 feet 



above sea level. It may be readily 

 noted along the highway above the 

 Arch Rock Entrance as well as along 

 the lower portions of many trails 

 leading from the Valley floor tc the 

 rim. 



It grows naturally along the Coast 

 Ranges from southwestern Oregon, 

 and inland from the Siskiyous in 

 Oregon and the upper Sacramento 

 Valley south along the Sierra to 

 southern California at elevations 

 varying from sea level (in the north) 

 to 4,000 and 5,000 feet. In some ports 

 of this range, particularly in south- 

 western Oregon where conditions are 

 suited to its best development, it is 

 an important broadleaved tree and 



Pholo by Brockmnn 



Foliage and fruit of California laurel {Inch squares on background) 



