Common (vernacular) names applied to California vascular plants
compiled by Elizabeth Painter
up to date as of May 1, 2016
Common names (also referred to as vernacular names) are applied differently at different times and places by different users. This list is compiled from many sources and is intended to be as comprehensive as possible. It is not intended to indicate which common name is correct or preferred. Please send comments about this page to Elizabeth Painter (beth.painter.48@gmail.com).
| Taxon | Umbellularia californica |
| group | Magnoliids |
| Family | Lauraceae |
| Family common name(s) | laurel; laurels |
| Genus common name(s) | umbellularia; California-laurel; California laurel; Californian bay; California bay; California pepperwood; Oregon myrtle; Oregon-myrtle |
| Species common name(s) | California bay-laurel; California bay laurel; California baylaurel; California-laurel; California laurel; California laurel bay; California bay; California-bay; California bay-tree; California bay tree; Californian bay; California myrtlewood; California myrtle-wood; California myrtle wood; California olive; Californian olive; California pepperwood; California sassafras; Oregon bay-laurel; Oregon bay laurel; Oregon baylaurel; Oregon myrtle; Oregon-myrtle; Oregon myrtle wood; Oregon myrtlewood; Oregon pepperwood; Pacific laurel; Pacific myrtle; Pacific-myrtle; bay-spice wood |
| | | Common name(s) specific to synonym; taxon noted in brackets | Fresno California bay-laurel [var. fresnensis]; Fresno California bay laurel [var. fresnensis]; Fresno California-laurel [var. fresnensis]; Fresno California laurel [var. fresnensis]; Fresno Californian bay [var. fresnensis] |
| Common name(s) generally applied to other taxa or multiple taxa | bay is applied to multiple Lauraceae taxa; myrtle-wood, myrtle wood, myrtlewood, yellow myrtle, black myrtle, white myrtle, California myrtle, pepperwood, pepper bush, spice-wood, spice wood, mountain-laurel, mountain laurel are applied to taxa in multiple families; cajeput is more commonly applied to Melaleuca |
| | | Notes | California, Californian, Oregon, Pacific is a proper name, so upper case preferable |
| Synonymy: The Jepson Manual (1993), FNA, PLANTS, etc | var. californica; var. fresnensis Eastw. |
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