LAURELIA 



Laurelia, Jussieu, in Ann. Mus. Paris, xiv. 134 (1809); Tulasne, in ArMv. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, 

 viii. 414 (185s); A. de Candolle, Prod. xvi. pt. 2, p. 674 (1868); Bentham et Hooker, Gen. 

 PL iii. 145 (1880); Perkins and Gilg, in Engler, Pflanzenreich, iv. loi, Monimiacem, 76 

 (1901); Perkins, in Engler, op. cit., Suppl. 46 (191 1). 



Pavonia, Ruiz and Pavon, Fl. Peruv. et Chil. Prod. 127, t. 28 (1794) (not Cavanilles). 



Theyga, Molina, Sag. Chile, 163 (18 10). 



Thiga, Molina, Sag. Chile, 297 (18 10). 



Evergreen trees, belonging to the order Monimiaceae ; with opposite coriaceous 

 fragrant serrate penninerved leaves, which are without stipules. 



Flowers polygamous or dioecious ; in simple or panicled axillary cymes ; 

 perianth with six to twelve spreading lobes in two or three series. Male flowers, 

 with a flat receptacle, and five to twenty stamens ; filaments short, each with two 

 lateral glands at the base ; anthers with two oblong lateral cells, which dehisce by 

 valves opening upwards. Female and perfect flowers, with a receptacle at first 

 cup-shaped, bearing stamens, which are often reduced wholly or in part to stamin- 

 odes, and numerous fusiform villous ovaries, which are tipped with long hirsute 

 styles, and are one-celled, containing an erect anatropous ovule. Fruit, consisting 

 of the enlarged and almost closed receptacle, which has become globose, ovoid, or 

 tubular, and ultimately opens by splitting irregularly into three or four valves ; on 

 these are placed the ripened ovaries or achenes, which are ovoid, pilose, and end in 

 a long plumose unbranched style. The valves of the receptacle remain firmly 

 closed in moist air, but spread widely when dry. 



Three species of Laurelia are known, two of which, not being in cultivation, 

 need only be briefly mentioned : — 



1. Laurelia NovcB-Zelandice, Cunningham, in Ann. Nat. Hist. i. 381 (1838). 

 A tree attaining 150 ft. in height in New Zealand. 



2. Laurelia sempervirens, Tulasne, in Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. viii. 416 (1855). 



Laurelia aromatica, Poiret, in Lamarck, Encycl. Meth. Suppl. iii. 313 (18 13). 

 Pavonia sempervirens, Ruiz and Pavon, Syst. Veg. PL Peruv. et Chil. 253 (1798). 



This species, with which L. serrata has been much confused, has a more 

 northerly distribution, occurring in Peru, as well as throughout Chile, where it is 

 called laurel hy the inhabitants. It differs from L. serrata^ in having the leaves un- 

 dulate serrate, with rather distant appressed obtuse teeth ; flowers in loose panicles 

 with long pedicels ; fruit receptacles fusiform or ovoid ; seed plumose throughout, 

 even to the tip of the style. It is a tall tree, very abundant in the evergreen 

 forests, and yielding wood that is easily worked and much used.^ (A. H.) 



1 L. serrata has sharply serrate leaves ; flowers in short crowded panicles, with short pedicels ; fruit receptacles globose ; 

 seed with the style not plumose at the tip. 2 Cf. Castello and Dey./ec^. Vej. Rio Valdivia, 51 (1908). 



1700 



