Not only have I missed some leaves, but a colleague complained I missed writing something to mark the Olympic Games. I now get a second chance, the Paralympics.
Laurel wreaths are originally associated with the Graeco-Roman god Apollo, patron of sports, performing arts and healing. Wreaths are awarded to heroes, champions and other “laureates”. The paralympics competitors are heroic not only in sports, but also in overcoming their disabilities in everyday life. I salute them.
Laurel (Laurus nobilis) is an evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean Basin, and a member of the Magnoliidae along with avocado, cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper. The Magnoliidae constitute the third largest clade of flowering plants (Angiosperms) after eudicots and monocots. Botanists of my generation learned that angiosperms divide into two main clades, monocots (grasses, palms etc.) and dicots (most others), named for having one or two “cotyledons” (seed leaves). Contemporary AGP-III phylogeny considers Magnoliidae to diverge before the EUdicots and Monocots split.
In recipes, laurel (bay leaves) are often used to impart subtle herbal tones to soups and stews. It is antiseptic, induces sweating and stimulates digestive enzymes. Lauryl leaves and berries have been used in traditional medicine to treat cardiac ailments coughs, diarrhea, flatulence, rheumatism and viral infections.
Laurel contains many phytochemicals (Alejo-Armijo et al, 2017). The imgredients responsible for flavouring are the volatiles, that include cineole, sabinene, α-terpinyl acetate, linalool, eugenol, methyl eugenol and α -pinene. Non-volatiles, include flavonoids, proanthocyanidins and sesquiterpene lactones. Laurel berries contain several saturated fatty acids, notably a C₁₂ acid called “lauric” acid.
Kivrak (2017) suggest that laurel extracts make an excellent cosmetic ingredient, with pleasant odour, useful phytochemicals and strong antioxidative capacity. Nevertheless, care is advised as laurel can cause contact dermatitis, e.g. Parlow et al (2022).
Further reading
☙ Wikipedia (2024) APGIII system, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1217833956
☙ Alejo-Armijo A et al(2017). Phytochemicals and Biological Activities of Laurel Tree (Laurus nobilis). Natural product communications, 12(5), 743–757. https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1934578x1701200519
☙ Kıvrak, Ş et al (2017). Assessment of volatile oil composition, phenolics and antioxidant activity of bay (Laurus nobilis)leaf and usage in cosmetic applications. Intl J Secondary Metabolite, 4(2), 148-161. https://dx.doi.org/10.21448/ijsm.323800
☙ ParlowL et al (2022). Persistent contact dermatitis following use of laurel oil. J.German Soc. Dermatol. : JDDG, 20(3), 338–342. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddg.14693
