Neolitsea Explained

Neolitsea is a genus of about 85 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the laurel family Lauraceae. They range from Indo-Malaysia to East Asia^[1] to Australia. The leaves are alternate, clustered, or verticillate, rarely subopposite.^[1] Species are dioecious, with separate male and female plants.^[1]

The Australian species, of which there are three, are commonly known as bolly gums and are fairly common in the rainforests of the east.

Many species of the genus Neolitsea have been analysed for essential oils and their biological activity.^[2]

Selected species

• Neolitsea aciculata - a small tree; Japan, Taiwan
• Neolitsea australiensis - Australia, Green bolly gum
• Neolitsea cassia - Sri Lanka
• Neolitsea cambodiana var. glabra synonym Neolitsea hongkongensis- Hong Kong
• Neolitsea chuii -tree up to 18m, southern China
• Neolitsea daibuensis - a small tree; Taiwan
• Neolitsea dealbata - Australia, tree up to 12m, Hairy-leaved bolly gum
• Neolitsea fischeri - India
• Neolitsea fuscata - Sri Lanka (unresolved name)
• Neolitsea kedahense - Malaysia
• Neolitsea mollissima - Malaysia
• Neolitsea parvigemma - a small tree; Taiwan
• Neolitsea sericea - tree up to 15m; Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China
• Neolitsea vidalii - the Philippines

Notes and References

1. Web site: Neolitsea . Puhua Huang & Henk van der Werff . Flora of China . Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA . 31 March 2013.
2. John . A. J. . George . V. . Pradeep . N. S. . Sethuraman . M. G. . Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the leaf, bark and fruit oils of Neolitsea fischeri Gamble . 10.1080/10412905.2008.9700012 . Journal of Essential Oil Research . 20 . 3 . 279–282 . 2008 .