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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Malosma''
| image = Malosma laurina 1.jpg
| image_width = 300px
| image_caption = ©2007 Justin Taylor.
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Sapindales]]
| familia = [[Anacardiaceae]]
| genus = '''''Malosma'''''
| genus_authority = Nutt. ex Abrams
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''Malosma laurina'' (Nutt.) Nutt. ex Abrams
}}
[[Image:Malosma_laurina_2.jpg|thumb|right|300px|''Malosma laurina'' in bloom. The [[bumblebee]] on the right side of the flower cluster (and near its middle) sets the scale of the photograph. ©2006 Jonathan Coffin]]'''''Malosma''''' is a plant genus for which only a single species, ''Malosma laurina'', is proposed.<ref name="ITIS">[[Integrated Taxonomic Information System]] (2007). [http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=500407 ''Malosma''], retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref> Common names for the species include '''laurel sumac''' and '''lentisco''' (Spanish). ''Malosma laurina'' is found along the southern California and Baja California coasts; the name "laurel" was chosen because the foliage is reminiscent of bay laurel ([[Bay laurel|''Laurus nobilis'']]), which is an otherwise unrelated small tree of the Mediterranean region.<ref>[http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MALA6 "NPIN: Malosma laurina (Laurel sumac),"] page of the [http://www.wildflower.org/about/ website] maintained by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved July 10, 2007.</ref> The species was previously assigned to the genus [[Rhus|''Rhus'']], and was known as ''Rhus laurina''.
[[Image:Malosma_laurina_3.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Fruits of ''Malosma laurina''. ©2006 Jonathan Coffin]]''Malosma laurina'' is a large, rounded evergreen shrub or small tree growing 3 to 5 meters (10-15 feet) tall. In bloom, it is intensely aromatic, and gives a characteristic odor to [[chapparal]].<ref>Sudderth, Carolanne (1999). [http://www.smmirror.com/Volume1/issue5/laurel_sumac.html "The Canyon's Own Perfume: Laurel Sumac,"] [[Santa Monica Mirror|''The Santa Monica Mirror'']], Vol. 1 (5), July 21-28, 1999. Online version retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref> The lance-shaped leaf blades are up to 10 cm (4") long, with reddish veins, [[Petiole (botany)|petiole]]s and stems (see photo in taxobox). The very small flowers have five white petals and five-lobed green [[sepal]]s. Large clusters of these flowers occur at the ends of twigs in late spring and early summer. The clusters ([[panicle|panicles]]) are 7-15 cm (3 to 6 ") long, and are reminiscent of [[lilac]] (see photo).<ref name="FEIS">Howard, Janet L. (1992). [http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/mallau/all.html Malosma laurina], in: Fire Effects Information System, [Online].
U.S. Department of Agriculture, [[United States Forest Service|Forest Service]],
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). This article is remarkably comprehensive and well referenced. Webpage retrieved June 12, 2007.</ref><ref>Seiler, John R., Jensen, Edward C., and Peterson, John A. (2007). [http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/syllabus2/factsheet.cfm?ID=562 "Malosma laurina Fact Sheet."] Tree identification photographs and information from the [http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/main.htm Dendrology database and website] maintained by the Department of Forestry, [[Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University]]. Retrieved June 23, 2007.</ref> The fruit is a whitish [[drupe]] 3 mm (1/8") in diameter with a smooth, flattish stone inside (see photo).<ref>Gatlin, Connie (undated). [http://www.sdnhm.org/fieldguide/plants/malo-lau.html ''Malosma laurina'' (Laurel Sumac)], from the [[San Diego Natural History Museum]] website, retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref>
''Malosma laurina'' is distributed along the southern California coastline (from [[Point Conception]] south to [[La Paz, Baja California Sur|La Paz]]), and on several of the [[Channel Islands of California|Channel Islands]] lying off the coast.<ref> Wilken, Dieter H. (1993). [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?315,316 ''Malosma''], article in ''The Jepson manual: higher plants of California'', James C. Hickman, editor (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993), ISBN 978-0520082557. Online version retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref><ref name="FEIS" />''Malosma laurina'' is not frost-hardy.<ref name="Laspilitas"> [http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/571.htm Rhus laurina Laurel Sumac], website of the ''Las Pilitas'' nursery. Retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref>
''Malosma laurina'' occurs in [[coastal sage scrub]], [[chaparral]], and [[California oak woodland|oak woodland]] formations. It occasionally grows in nearly pure stands in coastal sage scrub; more frequently, it codominates with California sagebrush (''[[Artemisia californica]]'') and black, white, or purple sage (''[[Salvia mellifera]]'', [[Salvia apiana|''S. apiana'']], or [[Salvia leucophylla|''S. leucophylla'']]). In mixed chaparral, it often codominates with bigpod ceanothus
([[Ceanothus|''Ceanothus megacarpus'']]) and spiny ceanothus ([[Ceanothus|''C. spinosus'']]). In woodlands, ''Malosma laurina'' is an understory associate in Engelmann oak ([[Quercus engelmannii|''Quercus engelmannii'']]), valley oak ([[Quercus lobata|''Q. lobata'']]), coast live oak ([[Quercus agrifolia|''Q. agrifolia'']]), and California black walnut ([[Juglans californica|''Juglans californica'']]).<ref name="FEIS" />
''Malosma laurina'' is presently used as a landscape plant in frost-free areas.<ref name="Laspilitas" /> The [[Chumash (tribe)|Chumash]] made flour from the dried fruits of ''Malosma laurina'', and they used the root bark to make a tea for treating [[dysentery]].<ref>Timbrook, Jan (1990). "Ethnobotany of Chumash Indians, California," based on collections by John P. Harrington. ''Economic Botany'', 44(2), 236-253.</ref> Naturally occurring plants have been used as "sentinel plants" by avocado and citrus growers to indicate areas that are free of frost and suitable for their orchards.<ref name="FEIS" />
==References==
<references />
==External Links==
*[http://www.theodorepayne.org/gallery/pages/M/malosma_laurina.htm California Native Plants Gallery: Malosma laurina], website of the [[Theodore Payne Foundation|The Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers & Native Plants]]. Several photographs of the fruit. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
*[http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?where-genre=Plant&where-taxon=Malosma+laurina Photographs of ''Malosma laurina''], webpage from the [http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/ CalPhotos] database. Retrieved June 16, 2007.
[[Category:Sapindales]][[Category:Flora of California]][[Category:Flora of Baja California]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Malosma''
| image = Malosma laurina 1.jpg
| image_width = 300px
| image_caption = ©2007 Justin Taylor.
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Sapindales]]
| familia = [[Anacardiaceae]]
| genus = '''''Malosma'''''
| genus_authority = Nutt. ex Abrams
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''Malosma laurina'' (Nutt.) Nutt. ex Abrams
}}
[[Image:Malosma_laurina_2.jpg|thumb|right|300px|''Malosma laurina'' in bloom. The [[bumblebee]] on the right side of the flower cluster (and near its middle) sets the scale of the photograph. ©2006 Jonathan Coffin]]'''''Malosma''''' is a plant genus for which only a single species, ''Malosma laurina'', is proposed.<ref name="ITIS">[[Integrated Taxonomic Information System]] (2007). [http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=500407 ''Malosma''], retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref> Common names for the species include '''laurel sumac''' and '''lentisco''' (Spanish). ''Malosma laurina'' is found along the southern California and Baja California coasts; the name "laurel" was chosen because the foliage is reminiscent of bay laurel ([[Bay laurel|''Laurus nobilis'']]), which is an otherwise unrelated small tree of the Mediterranean region.<ref>[http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MALA6 "NPIN: Malosma laurina (Laurel sumac),"] page of the [http://www.wildflower.org/about/ website] maintained by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved July 10, 2007.</ref> The species was previously assigned to the genus [[Rhus|''Rhus'']], and was known as ''Rhus laurina''.
[[Image:Malosma_laurina_3.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Fruits of ''Malosma laurina''. ©2006 Jonathan Coffin]]''Malosma laurina'' is a large, rounded evergreen shrub or small tree growing 3 to 5 meters (10-15 feet) tall. In bloom, it is intensely aromatic, and gives a characteristic odor to [[chapparal]].<ref>Sudderth, Carolanne (1999). [http://www.smmirror.com/Volume1/issue5/laurel_sumac.html "The Canyon's Own Perfume: Laurel Sumac,"] [[Santa Monica Mirror|''The Santa Monica Mirror'']], Vol. 1 (5), July 21-28, 1999. Online version retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref> The lance-shaped leaf blades are up to 10 cm (4") long, with reddish veins, [[Petiole (botany)|petiole]]s and stems (see photo in taxobox). The very small flowers have five white petals and five-lobed green [[sepal]]s. Large clusters of these flowers occur at the ends of twigs in late spring and early summer. The clusters ([[panicle|panicles]]) are 7-15 cm (3 to 6 ") long, and are reminiscent of [[lilac]] (see photo).<ref name="FEIS">Howard, Janet L. (1992). [http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/mallau/all.html Malosma laurina], in: Fire Effects Information System, [Online].
U.S. Department of Agriculture, [[United States Forest Service|Forest Service]],
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). This article is remarkably comprehensive and well referenced. Webpage retrieved June 12, 2007.</ref><ref>Seiler, John R., Jensen, Edward C., and Peterson, John A. (2007). [http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/syllabus2/factsheet.cfm?ID=562 "Malosma laurina Fact Sheet."] Tree identification photographs and information from the [http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/main.htm Dendrology database and website] maintained by the Department of Forestry, [[Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University]]. Retrieved June 23, 2007.</ref> The fruit is a whitish [[drupe]] 3 mm (1/8") in diameter with a smooth, flattish stone inside (see photo).<ref>Gatlin, Connie (undated). [http://www.sdnhm.org/fieldguide/plants/malo-lau.html ''Malosma laurina'' (Laurel Sumac)], from the [[San Diego Natural History Museum]] website, retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref>
''Malosma laurina'' is distributed along the southern California coastline (from [[Point Conception]] south to [[La Paz, Baja California Sur|La Paz]]), and on several of the [[Channel Islands of California|Channel Islands]] lying off the coast.<ref> Wilken, Dieter H. (1993). [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?315,316 ''Malosma''], article in ''The Jepson manual: higher plants of California'', James C. Hickman, editor (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993), ISBN 978-0520082557. Online version retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref><ref name="FEIS" />''Malosma laurina'' is not frost-hardy.<ref name="Laspilitas"> [http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/571.htm Rhus laurina Laurel Sumac], website of the ''Las Pilitas'' nursery. Retrieved June 10, 2007.</ref>
''Malosma laurina'' occurs in [[coastal sage scrub]], [[chaparral]], and [[California oak woodland|oak woodland]] formations. It occasionally grows in nearly pure stands in coastal sage scrub; more frequently, it codominates with California sagebrush (''[[Artemisia californica]]'') and black, white, or purple sage (''[[Salvia mellifera]]'', [[Salvia apiana|''S. apiana'']], or [[Salvia leucophylla|''S. leucophylla'']]). In mixed chaparral, it often codominates with bigpod ceanothus
([[Ceanothus|''Ceanothus megacarpus'']]) and spiny ceanothus ([[Ceanothus|''C. spinosus'']]). In woodlands, ''Malosma laurina'' is an understory associate in Engelmann oak ([[Quercus engelmannii|''Quercus engelmannii'']]), valley oak ([[Quercus lobata|''Q. lobata'']]), coast live oak ([[Quercus agrifolia|''Q. agrifolia'']]), and California black walnut ([[Juglans californica|''Juglans californica'']]).<ref name="FEIS" />
''Malosma laurina'' is presently used as a landscape plant in frost-free areas.<ref name="Laspilitas" /> The [[Chumash (tribe)|Chumash]] made flour from the dried fruits of ''Malosma laurina'', and they used the root bark to make a tea for treating [[dysentery]].<ref>Timbrook, Jan (1990). "Ethnobotany of Chumash Indians, California," based on collections by John P. Harrington. ''Economic Botany'', 44(2), 236-253.</ref> Naturally occurring plants have been used as "sentinel plants" by avocado and citrus growers to indicate areas that are free of frost and suitable for their orchards.<ref name="FEIS" />
==References==
<references />
==External Links==
*[http://www.theodorepayne.org/gallery/pages/M/malosma_laurina.htm California Native Plants Gallery: Malosma laurina], website of the [[Theodore Payne Foundation|The Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers & Native Plants]]. Several photographs of the fruit. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
*[http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?where-genre=Plant&where-taxon=Malosma+laurina Photographs of ''Malosma laurina''], webpage from the [http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/ CalPhotos] database. Retrieved June 16, 2007.
[[Category:Sapindales]][[Category:Flora of California]][[Category:Flora of Baja California]]
