About Laureliopsis philippiana (Looser) Schodde
Laureliopsis philippiana is an evergreen tree that reaches up to 30 m (100 ft) tall and up to 1.4 m (55 in) in trunk diameter. It has thin bark and aromatic wood, and looks superficially similar to Bay Laurel. Its aromatic leaves are oblong, with an attenuate base, measuring 4.9 cm long and 1.5–4 cm wide. The leaves are glossy and leathery, with yellow hairs along the midrib. Their edges are heavily toothed across the upper two-thirds of the leaf, with each tooth ending in a small point. Flowers of this species are either hermaphrodite or unisexual. They are small, about 5–6 mm long, reddish-green, and arranged in racemes. The flower peduncles are hairy and measure around 2–3 mm long. Each flower has a bell-shaped perianth split into 7–9 more or less equal petals, which are hairy on the outside. Flowers have 4 stamens, 8–20 staminodes, and several carpels, with a feathery style that bears a terminal stigma. The fruit is an almost oval achene, crowned by the perianth, around 1-1.3 cm long. It forms when the perigonium wraps around multiple carpels; the fruit is hairy and dark brown. The seeds are spindle-shaped, measuring about 0.8-1.2 cm long, with the hairy style reaching about 5–6 mm long. The wood of Laureliopsis philippiana is used in construction, but it rots when exposed to outdoor moisture. This species has been planted in Spain.
