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Pacific coast tree having aromatic foliage and small umbellate flowers followed by olivelike fruit; yields a hard tough wood

↑California bay tree, ↑Oregon myrtle, ↑pepperwood, ↑spice tree, ↑sassafras laurel, ↑California olive, ↑mountain laurel, ↑Umbellularia californica

: a Pacific coast tree (Umbellularia californica) of the laurel family having hard tough wood, very aromatic evergreen foliage, and small umbellate flowers succeeded by fleshy drupes resembling olives — called also California bay tree, mountain laurel, Oregon myrtle, pepperwood, sassafras laurel, spice tree

1. Also called bay tree. a tree, Umbellularia californica, of the laurel family, native to the western coast of the U.S., having aromatic leaves and umbels of yellowish-green flowers.

2. the hard, golden-brown wood of this tree, used for making furniture and decorative objects. Also called myrtle, Oregon myrtle, pepperwood.

[1870-75, Amer.]

California laurel,

= spice tree. (Cf. ↑spice tree)