Family Name: Lauraceae
Botanical Name(s): Laurus nobilis L.
Popular Name(s): Indian Bay, Bay Laurel, Nobel Laurel
Parts Used: Leaf
Habitat: Bay Leaf grows widely in scrub land woods in Europe and
California. It widely cultivated in Europe, America and Arabian
countries. It is found in India too but is not cultivated as a
commercial crop.
Description: Bay Leaf is a dried leaf of an evergreen tree which
attains a height up to 20 mtrs. The upper surface of the leaf is olive
green and the lower surface is dull olive to brown with a prominent rib
and veins. The size of the leaf ranges from 2.5 to 7.5 cms in length and
1.6 to 2.5 cms in breadth. The fruits are small, red-blue single-seeded
berries that later turn black.
Uses: Both leaves and fruits of Bay Leaf possess aromatic,
stimulant and narcotic properties. The leaves and its oil are used as
food flavouring agent and is used in traditional medicines in different
countries. The extracts are anti-microbial, anti-fungal, hypoglycemic
and anti-ulcerogenic in nature.
