Laurelia
Encyclopedia
Laurelia is a genus of flowering plant
s included in the order Laurales
, in the family Atherospermataceae
. They are Evergreen
fragrant laurifolia tree
s formerly in the Monimiaceae
family.
Laurelia is the southern hemisphere genus of plant
equivalent to this of Lauraceae
, although not closely related to Lauraceae family despite the similarity.
Laurelia is a genus of plant
in the family Atherospermataceae
, while Lauraceae is a family whose most representative genus is laurus
. Laurelia contains only two species, both endemic to the southern hemisphere, an example of Gondwana
n distribution.
The most remarkable divergence in Laurelia is the fruit, dry capsules called achenes which contain numerous seeds attached to fine feathery anemophilous filaments which aid to disperse the seeds by wind. This remarkable mode of reproduction, the dispersion by the wind is called anemochory. Mostly the dispersion dispersion system used by the laurales
are the birds that eat the little fruit. The feathery achenes of laurelia must keep moist when sown. Often, only a few seeds are viable.
Species of the laurelia genus are adapted to laurel forest
s habitat which occur in humid subtropical and mild temperate regions of the northern and southern hemispheres. There are Laurelia species in central Chile
and New Zealand
due to ancient continental divergences.
is easily confused.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s included in the order Laurales
Laurales
The Laurales are an order of flowering plants. They are magnoliids, related to the Magnoliales.The order includes about 2500-2800 species from 85-90 genera, which comprise seven families of trees and shrubs. Most of the species are tropical and subtropical, though a few genera reach the temperate...
, in the family Atherospermataceae
Atherospermataceae
The Atherospermataceae, commonly known as the southern sassafrases, are a family of broadleaf evergreen trees and shrubs. The family includes 14 species in seven genera. The atherosperms are native to the southern hemisphere, with two species native to southern Chile and 12 species native to...
. They are Evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
fragrant laurifolia tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s formerly in the Monimiaceae
Monimiaceae
Monimiaceae is a family of flowering plants, which includes 150-220 species of shrubs and small trees in 18-25 genera. They are native to the southern hemisphere tropics and subtropics. The largest genus is Tambourissa, with 50 species in Madagascar, the Mascarene Islands, and the Comoros...
family.
Laurelia is the southern hemisphere genus of plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
equivalent to this of Lauraceae
Lauraceae
The Lauraceae or Laurel family comprises a group of flowering plants included in the order Laurales. The family contains about 55 genera and over 3500, perhaps as many as 4000, species world-wide, mostly from warm or tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia and South America...
, although not closely related to Lauraceae family despite the similarity.
Laurelia is a genus of plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
in the family Atherospermataceae
Atherospermataceae
The Atherospermataceae, commonly known as the southern sassafrases, are a family of broadleaf evergreen trees and shrubs. The family includes 14 species in seven genera. The atherosperms are native to the southern hemisphere, with two species native to southern Chile and 12 species native to...
, while Lauraceae is a family whose most representative genus is laurus
Laurus
-Overview:Laurus is a genus of evergreen trees belonging to the Laurel family, Lauraceae. The genus includes three species, whose diagnostic key characters often overlap ....
. Laurelia contains only two species, both endemic to the southern hemisphere, an example of Gondwana
Gondwana
In paleogeography, Gondwana , originally Gondwanaland, was the southernmost of two supercontinents that later became parts of the Pangaea supercontinent. It existed from approximately 510 to 180 million years ago . Gondwana is believed to have sutured between ca. 570 and 510 Mya,...
n distribution.
The most remarkable divergence in Laurelia is the fruit, dry capsules called achenes which contain numerous seeds attached to fine feathery anemophilous filaments which aid to disperse the seeds by wind. This remarkable mode of reproduction, the dispersion by the wind is called anemochory. Mostly the dispersion dispersion system used by the laurales
Laurales
The Laurales are an order of flowering plants. They are magnoliids, related to the Magnoliales.The order includes about 2500-2800 species from 85-90 genera, which comprise seven families of trees and shrubs. Most of the species are tropical and subtropical, though a few genera reach the temperate...
are the birds that eat the little fruit. The feathery achenes of laurelia must keep moist when sown. Often, only a few seeds are viable.
Species of the laurelia genus are adapted to laurel forest
Laurel forest
Laurel forest is a subtropical or mild temperate forest, found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable and mild temperatures. They are characterized by tree species with evergreen, glossy, enlongated leaves, known as laurophyll or lauroide...
s habitat which occur in humid subtropical and mild temperate regions of the northern and southern hemispheres. There are Laurelia species in central Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
due to ancient continental divergences.
Species
The genus is closely related to Laureliopsis whose Chilean species Laureliopsis philippianaLaureliopsis philippiana
Laureliopsis philippiana , known as Tepa is a species of plant endemic to Chile and Argentina . In Chile it is found from Maule to Aysen. It grows on humid and deep soils.-Description:...
is easily confused.
- Laurelia novae-zelandiaeLaurelia novae-zelandiaeLaurelia novae-zelandiae, also called Pukatea, is a large laurifolia evergreen tree, endemic to the forests of New Zealand . with so-called 'toothed' leaves and producing small flowers...
(native to New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
) - Laurelia sempervirensLaurelia sempervirensLaurelia sempervirens, called from mapuche: Tihue, Trihue, also called Chilean Laurel or Chilean Sassafras. It is a species of Evergreen tree in the family Atherospermataceae, formerly Monimiaceae family, in the southern hemisphere genus of plant Laurelia, not closely related to Lauraceae despite...
(native to ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
)