Laurus

Trees; branchlets pubescent to subglabrous. Leaves alternate, glabrous, leathery; venation pinnate. Inflorescence axillary, on short shoots, in clusters of c. 5 flowers, subtended by an involucre of persistent bracts. Flowers unisexual (sexes on different plants), 2-merous; perianth segments in 2 whorls of 2; receptacle flat or shallow. Male flowers with 8–30 stamens, in 3 whorls; staminodes absent; anthers 2-locular, dehiscing introrsely. Female flowers with c. 4 staminodes; ovary superior. Fruit ovoid, receptacle hardly enlarged, forming a small cupule, perianth deciduous.