California bay, Oregon-myrtle, myrtle-wood, California laurel, pepperwood

Tetranthera californica Hooker & Arnott, Bot. Beechey Voy., 159. 1833

Trees or shrubs , to 45 m; twigs terete, glabrous or sparsely appressed-pubescent, rarely minutely tomentose. Leaf blade deep yellow-green, shiny, narrowly oblong or narrowly elliptic, 3-10 × 1.5-3 cm, base acute or obtuse, apex acute; surfaces abaxially glabrous, sparsely appressed-pubescent or minutely tomentose, adaxially glabrous; domatia absent. Inflorescences pubescent. Flowers 5-10; tepals 6-8 mm. Drupe usually solitary, 2 cm or more diam. 2 n =24.

Varieties 2: w coast, North America.

Native Americans used Umbellularia californica for medicinal purposes and occasionally as an insecticide (D. E. Moerman 1986).

Lower Taxa

• Umbellularia californica var. californica (Hooker & Arnott) Nuttall
• Umbellularia californica var. fresnensis Eastwood