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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Persea''
| image = Persea borbonia.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Persea borbonia'' foliage and fruit
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Laurales]]
| familia = [[Lauraceae]]
| genus = ''Persea''
| subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
| subdivision =
See text.
}}
'''''Persea''''' is a [[genus]] of about 150 species of [[evergreen]] [[trees]] belonging to the laurel family, [[Lauraceae]]. The best-known member of the genus is the [[Avocado]] ''P. americana'', widely cultivated in subtropical regions for its large, edible [[fruit]].
They are medium-size trees, 15-30 m tall at maturity. The [[leaf|leaves]] are simple, lanceolate to broad lanceolate, varying with species from 5-30 cm long and 2-12 cm broad, and arranged spirally or alternately on the stems. The [[flower]]s are in short panicles, with six small greenish-yellow perianth segments 3-6 mm long, nine stamens and an ovary with a single embryo. The [[fruit]] is an oval or pear-shaped [[drupe]], with a fleshy outer covering surrounding the single [[seed]]; size is very variable between the species, from 1-1.5 cm in e.g. ''P. borbonia'' and ''P. indica'', up to 10-20 cm in ''P. americana''.
The species of ''Persea'' have a disjunct distribution, with about 70 [[Neotropic]] species, ranging from [[Brazil]] and [[Chile]] in [[South America]] to [[Central America]] and [[Mexico]], the [[West Indies]], and the southeastern [[United States]]; a single species, ''P. indica'', [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] to the [[Macaronesia]]n islands, including [[Madeira]] and the [[Canary Islands]]; and 80 species inhabiting [[East Asia|east]] and [[Southeast Asia|southeast]] [[Asia]]. None of the species is very tolerant of severe winter cold, with the hardiest, ''P. borbonia'', ''P. ichangensis'' and ''P. lingue'', surviving temperatures down to about -12°C; they also require continuously moist soil, and do not tolerate drought.
Fossil evidence indicates that the genus originated in [[West Africa]] during the [[Paleocene]], and spread to Asia, to South America, and to Europe and thence to [[North America]]. It is thought that the gradual drying of Africa, west Asia, and the [[Mediterranean]] from the [[Oligocene]] to the [[Pleistocene]], and the [[glaciation]] of [[Europe]] during the Pleistocene, caused the extinction of the genus across these regions, resulting in the present distribution.
''Persea'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including [[Giant Leopard Moth]], ''[[Coleophora|Coleophora octagonella]]'' (feeds exclusively on ''P. carolinensis'') and ''[[Hypercompe|Hypercompe indecisa]]''.
===Classification===
The genus ''Persea'' is treated in three subgenera. The Asian subgenus ''Machilus'' is treated in a separate genus '''''Machilus''''' by many authors, including in the ''Flora of China'', while graft-incompatibility between subgenus ''Persea'' and subgenus ''Eriodaphne'' suggests that these too may be better treated as distinct genera, in fact [[André Joseph Guillaume Henri Kostermans|Kostermans]] (1993) founded the genus ''Mutisiopersea'' for these. Another closely related genus ''[[Beilschmiedia]]'' is also sometimes included in ''Persea''.
;Subgenus ''Persea'' - [[Central America]]. Two species.
*''[[Avocado|Persea americana]]'' - Avocado
**''Persea americana'' var. ''drymifolia''
**''Persea americana'' var. ''floccosa''
**''Persea americana'' var. ''guatemalensis''
**''Persea americana'' var. ''nubigena''
**''Persea americana'' var. ''steyermarkii''
*''[[Persea schiedeana]]'' - Coyo
;Subgenus ''Eriodaphne'' (''Mutisiopersea'') - [[The Americas]], [[Macaronesia]]. About 70 species, including:
*''[[Persea alpigena]]''
*''[[Persea borbonia]]'' – Redbay
*''[[Persea caerulea]]''
*''[[Persea cinerascens]]''
*''[[Persea donnell-smithii]]''
*''[[Persea indica]]'' – Viñátigo (possibly better treated in a fourth subgenus of its own)
*''[[Persea lingue]]'' – Lingue
*''[[Persea longipes]]''
*''[[Persea palustris]]'' – Swampbay
*''[[Persea skutchii]]''
;Subgenus ''Machilus'' - [[Asia]]. About 80 species, including:
*''Persea edulis''
*''Persea ichangensis''
*''Persea japonica''
*''Persea macrantha''
*''Persea nanmu''
*''Persea thunbergii''
*''Persea yunnanensis''
==References and external links==
*[[André Joseph Guillaume Henri Kostermans|Kostermans, A. J. G .H.]] (1993). Mutisiopersea Kostermans, a new genus in Lauraceae. ''Rheedea'' 3: 132–135.
*Kopp, Lucille E. (1966) "A taxonomic revision of the genus Persea in the Western Hemisphere (''Persea-Lauracese'')" ''Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden'' 14(1): pp. 1-117
*[http://www.avocadosource.com Avocado source] Extensive information on the [[Avocado]] and the genus generally, particularly the subgenera ''Persea'' and ''Eriodaphne''
*[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=124627 Flora of North America: ''Persea'']
*[http://www.efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=3&start_taxon_id=119262 Flora of China: ''Machilus''] Full list of species in ''Machilus'' in China
[[Category:Laurales]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Persea''
| image = Persea borbonia.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Persea borbonia'' foliage and fruit
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Laurales]]
| familia = [[Lauraceae]]
| genus = ''Persea''
| subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
| subdivision =
See text.
}}
'''''Persea''''' is a [[genus]] of about 150 species of [[evergreen]] [[trees]] belonging to the laurel family, [[Lauraceae]]. The best-known member of the genus is the [[Avocado]] ''P. americana'', widely cultivated in subtropical regions for its large, edible [[fruit]].
They are medium-size trees, 15-30 m tall at maturity. The [[leaf|leaves]] are simple, lanceolate to broad lanceolate, varying with species from 5-30 cm long and 2-12 cm broad, and arranged spirally or alternately on the stems. The [[flower]]s are in short panicles, with six small greenish-yellow perianth segments 3-6 mm long, nine stamens and an ovary with a single embryo. The [[fruit]] is an oval or pear-shaped [[drupe]], with a fleshy outer covering surrounding the single [[seed]]; size is very variable between the species, from 1-1.5 cm in e.g. ''P. borbonia'' and ''P. indica'', up to 10-20 cm in ''P. americana''.
The species of ''Persea'' have a disjunct distribution, with about 70 [[Neotropic]] species, ranging from [[Brazil]] and [[Chile]] in [[South America]] to [[Central America]] and [[Mexico]], the [[West Indies]], and the southeastern [[United States]]; a single species, ''P. indica'', [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] to the [[Macaronesia]]n islands, including [[Madeira]] and the [[Canary Islands]]; and 80 species inhabiting [[East Asia|east]] and [[Southeast Asia|southeast]] [[Asia]]. None of the species is very tolerant of severe winter cold, with the hardiest, ''P. borbonia'', ''P. ichangensis'' and ''P. lingue'', surviving temperatures down to about -12°C; they also require continuously moist soil, and do not tolerate drought.
Fossil evidence indicates that the genus originated in [[West Africa]] during the [[Paleocene]], and spread to Asia, to South America, and to Europe and thence to [[North America]]. It is thought that the gradual drying of Africa, west Asia, and the [[Mediterranean]] from the [[Oligocene]] to the [[Pleistocene]], and the [[glaciation]] of [[Europe]] during the Pleistocene, caused the extinction of the genus across these regions, resulting in the present distribution.
''Persea'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including [[Giant Leopard Moth]], ''[[Coleophora|Coleophora octagonella]]'' (feeds exclusively on ''P. carolinensis'') and ''[[Hypercompe|Hypercompe indecisa]]''.
===Classification===
The genus ''Persea'' is treated in three subgenera. The Asian subgenus ''Machilus'' is treated in a separate genus '''''Machilus''''' by many authors, including in the ''Flora of China'', while graft-incompatibility between subgenus ''Persea'' and subgenus ''Eriodaphne'' suggests that these too may be better treated as distinct genera, in fact [[André Joseph Guillaume Henri Kostermans|Kostermans]] (1993) founded the genus ''Mutisiopersea'' for these. Another closely related genus ''[[Beilschmiedia]]'' is also sometimes included in ''Persea''.
;Subgenus ''Persea'' - [[Central America]]. Two species.
*''[[Avocado|Persea americana]]'' - Avocado
**''Persea americana'' var. ''drymifolia''
**''Persea americana'' var. ''floccosa''
**''Persea americana'' var. ''guatemalensis''
**''Persea americana'' var. ''nubigena''
**''Persea americana'' var. ''steyermarkii''
*''[[Persea schiedeana]]'' - Coyo
;Subgenus ''Eriodaphne'' (''Mutisiopersea'') - [[The Americas]], [[Macaronesia]]. About 70 species, including:
*''[[Persea alpigena]]''
*''[[Persea borbonia]]'' – Redbay
*''[[Persea caerulea]]''
*''[[Persea cinerascens]]''
*''[[Persea donnell-smithii]]''
*''[[Persea indica]]'' – Viñátigo (possibly better treated in a fourth subgenus of its own)
*''[[Persea lingue]]'' – Lingue
*''[[Persea longipes]]''
*''[[Persea palustris]]'' – Swampbay
*''[[Persea skutchii]]''
;Subgenus ''Machilus'' - [[Asia]]. About 80 species, including:
*''Persea edulis''
*''Persea ichangensis''
*''Persea japonica''
*''Persea macrantha''
*''Persea nanmu''
*''Persea thunbergii''
*''Persea yunnanensis''
==References and external links==
*[[André Joseph Guillaume Henri Kostermans|Kostermans, A. J. G .H.]] (1993). Mutisiopersea Kostermans, a new genus in Lauraceae. ''Rheedea'' 3: 132–135.
*Kopp, Lucille E. (1966) "A taxonomic revision of the genus Persea in the Western Hemisphere (''Persea-Lauracese'')" ''Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden'' 14(1): pp. 1-117
*[http://www.avocadosource.com Avocado source] Extensive information on the [[Avocado]] and the genus generally, particularly the subgenera ''Persea'' and ''Eriodaphne''
*[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=124627 Flora of North America: ''Persea'']
*[http://www.efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=3&start_taxon_id=119262 Flora of China: ''Machilus''] Full list of species in ''Machilus'' in China
[[Category:Laurales]]
