Litsea glaucescens
Kunth
Lauraceae
Litsea acuminatissima Lundell
Litsea cervantesii Kunth
Litsea flavescens Bartlett
Litsea guatemalensis Mez
Litsea matudae Lundell
Litsea neesiana (S.Schauer) Hemsl.
Litsea orizabae (M.Martens & Galeotti) Mez
Persea orizabae M.Martens & Galeotti
Tetranthera glaucescens (Kunth) Spreng.
Tetranthera neesiana S.Schauer
Tetranthera villosa M.Martens & Galeotti
Common Name:
General Information
Litsea glaucescens is a shrub or small tree, usually growing from 3 - 12 metres tall[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
,
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
The leaves are often harvested from the wild for local use as a flavouring and a medicine. The trees are sometimes grown in gardens for use as a flavouring and the dried leaves are often sold in local markets[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
,
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].
Litsea glaucescens has a wide range. Although on a local level there is a decline in the area of occupancy and extent of occurrence as well as a loss of quality of habitat, this is not considered to be a threat on a global level, especially given the large extent of occurrence and the number of known localities where this species is found. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2021)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
Range
C. America - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, north to central Mexico.
Habitat
Moist or dry, brushy hillsides, or most often in rather open, mixed or pine-oak forest, at elevations from 1,300 - 3,500 metres[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
]. Evergreen but seasonally dry montane forest formations, at elevations from 1,500 - 2,000 metres[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Tree |
| Height | 8.00 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Newly cut branches, covered with leaves, are much used for decorations at fiesta times, especially for making the arches that span streets and roads[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
2011- Title
- A revision of Litsea (Lauraceae) in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore
- Publication
- Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 73(1): 81-178. 2021
- Author
- Kok R.P.J. de
- Website
- http://10.26492/gbs73(1).2021-07
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2021
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A very detailed treatment of the species
].
Edible Uses
The aromatic leaves are used as a bay-like flavouring in foods, especially soups, stews and pickles[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
,
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].
The dried leaves are used to make a tea, known as 'té de laurel'[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].
Medicinal
The leaves are used in the treatment of colic pains[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. (as Litsea neesiana)
The plant has medicinal uses[
875- Title
- The Red List of Mexican Cloud Forest Trees
- Publication
-
- Author
- Editors González-Espinosa M., et al.
- Website
- http://www.globaltrees.org
- Publisher
- Fauna and Flora International; Cambridge, UK.
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Available to download from the Internet in PDF format, this publication gives some basic information on the trees of the Mexican Cloud Forests, focussing on their conservation status, but also with a description, habitat, some uses etc.
].
Other Uses
The powdered leaves have been used to repel ants[
1415- Title
- Plants of Possible Insecticidal Value - A Review of the Literature up to 1941
- Publication
-
- Author
- McIndoo N.E.
- Publisher
- USDA; Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine
- Year
- 1945
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Information on the insecticidal properties (or not) of almost 1,200 species of plant. Rather dated but still with information hard to obtain elsewhere. It can be downloaded from the Intenet
].
The wood is used for fuel[
875- Title
- The Red List of Mexican Cloud Forest Trees
- Publication
-
- Author
- Editors González-Espinosa M., et al.
- Website
- http://www.globaltrees.org
- Publisher
- Fauna and Flora International; Cambridge, UK.
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Available to download from the Internet in PDF format, this publication gives some basic information on the trees of the Mexican Cloud Forests, focussing on their conservation status, but also with a description, habitat, some uses etc.
].
Propagation
Seed - the pulp needs to be removed and the seed soaked in luke-warm water prior to sowing. Sow the seed about 1cm deep in a nursery seedbed. A germination rate of 30 - 60% can be expected[
875- Title
- The Red List of Mexican Cloud Forest Trees
- Publication
-
- Author
- Editors González-Espinosa M., et al.
- Website
- http://www.globaltrees.org
- Publisher
- Fauna and Flora International; Cambridge, UK.
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Available to download from the Internet in PDF format, this publication gives some basic information on the trees of the Mexican Cloud Forests, focussing on their conservation status, but also with a description, habitat, some uses etc.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
