Ocotea foetens
Smelly laurel ( Ocotea foetens )
Smelly laurel ( Ocotea foetens ) is a species of the family of the laurel family ( Lauraceae ).
Features
Stinking Laurel is a tree that grows up to 30 meters high. The wood is hard, dark, and is considered valuable. In the fresh state it gives off an unpleasant odor. The leaves are broadly oblong- lanceolate, entire, dark green and shiny. A characteristic feature of the leaves are present in the axils of the lowermost lateral nerves 2-3 showy large glands with dense hair. The flowers are arranged in paniculate at the ends of the branches. They are greenish yellow, fragrant and sechszählig. The fruits are about 2.5 inches tall, olive-shaped and fleshy. When mature, they are colored blue-black. The fruits sit like acorns in cups.
The flowering period extends from June to September.
Occurrence
Smelly laurel occurs on the Canary Islands La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, Tenerife and Gran Canaria. The species grows in the laurel forests and is found more often in humid locations.