Abstract
The
accurate identification of bay leaf in natural products commerce may
often be confusing as the name is applied to several different species
of aromatic plants. The true “bay leaf”, also known as “bay laurel” or
“sweet bay”, is sourced from the tree Laurus nobilis, a native of the
Mediterranean region. Nevertheless, the leaves of several other species
including Cinnamomum tamala, Litsea glaucescens, Pimenta racemosa,
Syzygium polyanthum, and Umbellularia californica are commonly
substituted or mistaken for true bay leaves due to their similarity in
the leaf morphology, aroma, and flavor. Substitute species are, however,
often sold as “bay leaves”. As such, the name “bay leaf” in literature
and herbal commerce may refer to any of these botanicals. The odor and
flavor of these leaves are, however, not the same as the true bay leaf,
and for that reason they should not be used in cooking as a substitute
for L. nobilis. Some of the bay leaf substitutes can also cause
potential health problems. Therefore, the correct identification of the
true bay leaf is important. The present work provides a detailed
comparative study of the leaf morphological and anatomical features of
L. nobilis and its common surrogates to allow for correct identification
