Names: Rhus laurina.
English: Laurel sumac; Taco plant.
Spanish: Lentisco.
Synonym: Rhus laurina.
Genus: 1 species.
Region: southern California, Baja California.
Habitat: sensitive to cold and frost; in coastal sage scrub, chaparral, oak woodland formations; occasionally in nearly pure stands in coastal sage scrub; drought tolerant.
Use: ornamental, landscape plant; dried fruits for flour; root bark for tea for treating dysentery.
BotanyLarge, rounded evergreen shrub or small tree; 3 to 5 meters tall.
Root: large burl underground resprouts after a fire burns its above ground parts, as one of the first plants.
Leaves: shape of taco shell, laurel, with lance-shaped leaf blades; 10 cm long when flattened; veins of the leaves, and the edges of the leaves, are a glowing reddish color all year long; fragrant and stems give chaparral its characteristic fragrance; reminiscent of bay laurel.
Content: volatile compounds that give it the scent.
Flowers: very small; petals 5, white; sepals five-lobed green; flowering late spring and early summer; woodsy-herbal" smell, likened to green apples, turpentine.
Inflorescence: large clusters, panicles; 7– to 15 cm long; reminiscent of lilac.
Fruit: whitish drupe; 3 mm in diameter.
Seed: smooth, flattish stone.