Corynocarpus laevigata J.R. Frost & G. Frost   Corynocarpaceae   Corynocarpus Family   New Hebrides, New Caledonia, New Zealand   New Zealand Laurel

Plant Characteristics: Evergreen tree to 50 feet; lvs. elliptic-oblong to oblong-obovate, to 8 in. long, dark green, leathery, glossy, fls. bisexual, regular in terminal panicles, greenish-yellow, sepals 5, petals 5, stamens 5 and staminodes 5, pistil 1, ovary superior, 1-2 celled, styles 1 or 2; fr. drupe 1.5 in. long, orange.

Habitat: Escape from cultivation. Cultivated in California, zone 10a. (Bailey, Hortus Third 318). Zone 10 in Hortus Third is at the San Francisco Bay area and from Point Conception south to San Diego along the coast. Also a small portion of Imperial Valley at the Colorado River is included in Zone 10. There is no explanation of Zone 10a in Hortus Third despite the reference on page 318. (my comment).

Name: The origin of the genus name is not explained in Hortus Third, however the Greek, korys, a helmeted man, warrior, or a helmet with shaking plumes and Greek, karpos, fruit, suggests that the name refers to the fruit characteristics. (my comments). Latin, laevis=levis, smooth. (Jaeger 135). Laevigata, may refer to the smooth glossy leaves. (my comment).

General: Rare in the study area with only one small +/- 2-meter tree known and this on the Eastbluff bench in the burn area. To date I have only seen the leaves; there have been no flowers or fruit. (my comments). Corynocarpus is sometimes planted as an ornamental. The fleshy part of the fruit is edible but the seed is poisonous. (Bailey, Hortus Third, 318).

Text Ref: Bailey, Hortus Third, 318; Sunset New Western Garden Book, 1984 edition,

Photo Ref: May 06 # 21A,22A.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by John Johnson.

First Found: May 2006.

Have plant specimen.

Plant Ref: Plant Data 566.

Last edit: 7/15/06.

                                   May Photo