LAUREL

Olatz Flores

SCIENTIFIC LATIN NAME

Laurus
nobilis

VULGAR NAMES IN
(Greek)
MOTHER LANGUAGES
Laurel (Spanish)

Ereinotza (Basque)
Laurel (English)

MORPHOLOGICAL
DESCRIPTION OF THE
ELEMENTS OF THE PLANT
Family: Lauraceae
Gender: Laurus.
Species: Laurus nobilis
Description: evergreen of 5 to 10cm, dense foliage; dark green leathery
leaves, aromatic; unisexual flowers arranged in umbel; fruit drupe.
Multiplication: seeds and cuttings of root and stem.
Habitat: slightly demanding in soils, it goes better in
free and fresh. Out of the regions of
Mediterranean climate, it is very sensitive to
the frosts.

CLASSICAL AUTHORS WHO

MENTIONED THE PLANT IN
THEIR BOOKS (LATIN &
GREEK)
Homero Odisea IX 186

Hesodo Teog. XXX; Trab y das 435 ss

Pausanias VIII 20,2
Teofrasto II 1,3; II 5,6; III 7,3; IV 13,7
Virgilio 45-55

Ovidio Met. I 452-600

Dioscrides I,78; I 40
Plinio XIII 152-157; XV 130,134, 137; XXIV 132
Suetonio Galba I

HOMERO ODISEA IX 186

,
, ,

,
.

TRANSLATION:
When we had reached the nearby shore, we saw a deep cave
overhung with laurels at the cliffs edge close to the sea. Large herds
of sheep and goats were penned there at night, and round it was a
raised yard walled by deep-set stones, tall pines and high-crowned
oaks.

MYTHOLOGICAL
SYMBOLISM OF THE
PLANT:

Daphne

There are several versions of the myth, but

the general narrative is that because of her
beauty, Daphne attracted the attention of
the god Apollo. Apollo pursued her and just
before being overtaken, Daphne pleaded to
her father, Peneus (the river God), for help.
So he then transformed Daphne into a
laurel tree.

From then on, the laurel tree became the

symbol of Apollo and he was often
depicted with laurel leaves on his golden
hair.

USES OF THE PLANT

Culinary use: soups, stews, meats, fish, seafood, vegetables

and desserts as the rice with milk. Removed before serving.
They can be crushed or ground before cooking to give a better
taste to the food.
Medicinal use: its a stomach tonic. The essential oil obtained
from the fruits ("lard of laurel") was used for the treatment of
inflammations.

Other uses: inlaid wood and marquetry.

THREATS AND
SINGULARITY
The abuse of the laurel irritates the walls of the stomach,
managing to produce gastritis and aggravating sores.
It also tends to cause skin irritation.