View source for Persea

{{Treatment/ID
|accepted_name=Persea
|accepted_authority=Miller
|publications={{Treatment/Publication
|title=Gard. Dict. Abr. ed.
|place=4. 1754, name conserved
}}
|common_names=Red bay
|basionyms=
|synonyms={{Treatment/ID/Synonym
|name=Tamala
|authority=Rafinesque
|rank=genus
}}
|hierarchy=Lauraceae;Persea
|hierarchy_nav=<div class="higher-taxa"><div class="higher-taxon"><small>family</small>[[Lauraceae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>genus</small>[[Persea]]</div></div>
|etymology=used by Theophrastus for an oriental tree
|volume=Volume 3
|mention_page=
|treatment_page=
}}<!--

--><span class="statement" id="st-undefined" data-properties=""><b>Shrubs </b>to medium-sized trees, evergreen. <b>Bark</b> reddish brown, thin, fissured. <b>Leaves</b> alternate, aromatic. <b>Leaf</b> blade pinnately veined; surfaces pubescent, especially abaxially, becoming glabrescent with age; domatia absent. <b>Inflorescence</b> appearing when mature leaves are present, axillary, flowers in pedunculate, compound cymes. <b>Flowers</b> bisexual; tepals persistent, yellowish, pubescent, outer tepals slightly shorter than inner; stamens 9, anthers 4-locular, 4-valved, anthers of outer 6 stamens introrse, anthers of inner 3 latrorse; staminodes 3, sagittate; ovary nearly globose. <b>Drupe</b> dark blue to black, nearly globose, borne on pedicel with tepals persistent at base; cupule absent. <b>x</b> = 12.</span><!--

-->{{Treatment/Body
|distribution=Tropical and subtropical regions;Western Hemisphere.
|discussion=<p>Species ca. 150 (3 in the flora).</p><!--
--><p><i>Persea</i> americana Miller, the avocado of commerce, with large, fleshy fruits and deciduous tepals, is widely grown in California and Florida. It may persist after cultivation.</p><!--
--><p>Pubescence type and density are the most reliable characteristics in identifying species and are best seen on young leaves and branches.</p>
|tables=
|references=
}}<!--

--><div class="treatment-key">
==Key==
<div class="treatment-key-group">
  
{| class="wikitable fna-keytable"
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Pubescence of branches and leaves erect, crisped; peduncle longer than subtending leaf petiole.
|[[Persea palustris|Persea palustris]]
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Pubescence of branches and leaves appressed; peduncle equal to or shorter than subtending leaf petiole.
|[[#key-0-2| > 2]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Abaxial leaf surface moderately pubescent, glabrescent with age; leaf blade 6–16 cm.
|[[Persea borbonia|Persea borbonia]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Abaxial leaf surface densely pubescent, appearing sooty with age; leaf blade 5–8 cm.
|[[Persea humilis|Persea humilis]]
|}
</div></div><!--

-->{{#Taxon:
name=Persea
|author=B. Eugene Wofford
|authority=Miller
|rank=genus
|parent rank=family
|synonyms=Tamala
|basionyms=
|family=Lauraceae
|distribution=Tropical and subtropical regions;Western Hemisphere.
|reference=None
|publication title=Gard. Dict. Abr. ed.
|publication year=
|special status=
|source xml=https://jpend@bitbucket.org/aafc-mbb/fna-data-curation.git/src/f50eec43f223ca0e34566be0b046453a0960e173/coarse_grained_fna_xml/V3/V3_1009.xml
|genus=Persea
}}<!--

-->[[Category:Treatment]][[Category:Lauraceae]]