包含3種常綠喬木樹種。可上溯至更新世冰河期的植物化石證明，當時氣候較現今更為潮濕、溫和，地中海與非洲北部周圍一帶月桂屬植物的分布也較現在更為廣泛。現今普遍認為，因為地中海灣的氣候在冰河時期逐漸變得乾燥，使得月桂屬植物逐漸退居至氣候最溫和之地，包括西班牙南部、葡萄牙與麥克羅尼西亞群島(Macaronesian islands)。

月桂屬(屬)　(P,,U,繁體中文-偏好,D,U,U)
月桂(樟科)　(,U,繁體中文-非偏好,UF,U,U)
yüeh kuei shu (P,,U,韋氏拼音-偏好,UF,U,U)
yuè guì shǔ(P,,U,漢語拼音-偏好,UF,U,U)
yue gui shu (P,,U,漢語拼音(無聲調)-偏好,UF,U,U)
Laurus(genus)　(P,,U,英文-偏好,D,U,N)
Laurus(genus)　(P,,U,拉丁語-偏好,D,U,U)
laurel(genus)　(,U,英文-非偏好,AD,U,N)
laurel(genus)　(,U,西班牙語-非偏好,AD,U,U)
laurier(genus)　(,U,荷蘭語-非偏好,AD,U,U)
laurier(genus)　(,U,法語-非偏好,AD,U,N)
alloro(genus)　(P,,U,Italian-偏好,D,U,U)
loureiro(genus)　(,U,Portuguese-非偏好,AD,U,U)

藝術與建築詞典根目錄
....代理者層面
........活體有機體
............真核生物 (域)
................植物界 (界)
....................被子植物門 (門)
........................木蘭綱 (綱)
............................樟目 (目)
................................樟科 (科)
....................................月桂屬 (屬)

source plant or animal for....

月桂 (木材)

英文....

Genus containing 3 species of evergreen trees. Fossils dating to before the Pleistocene glaciations suggest that species of Laurus were formerly distributed more widely around the Mediterranean and North Africa, when the climate was more humid and mild than at present. It is currently thought that the drying of the Mediterranean basin during the glaciations caused Laurus to retreat to the mildest climate refuges, including southern Spain, Portugal and the Macaronesian islands.

月桂屬(屬)............	[AS-Academia Sinica]
.................	大英百科全書線上繁體中文版 August 12, 2014
月桂(樟科)............	[AS-Academia Sinica]
.................	DICT.TW 線上字典 August 12, 2014
Laurus(genus)............	[VP]
.................	Johnson, International Book of Trees (1973)
.................	ITIS Report: Taxonomy online (2005-)
.................	NCBI Taxonomy Browser (2008-)
.................	Smithsonian Collections Search Center (2009-)
.................	Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-)
laurel(genus)............	[VP]
.................	Johnson, International Book of Trees (1973) laurel
.................	CDMARC Subjects: LCSH (1988-) laurel
.................	RILA, Subject Headings (1975-1990) laurel
.................	Walker, The Encyclopedia of Wood (1989) 135
.................	Getty Vocabulary Program rules
.................	Moliner, Diccionario de uso del español (1990) 2:227
laurier(genus)............	[VP]
.................	CHIN database
.................	New Routledge Dutch Dictionary (2009) 301
alloro(genus)............	[VP]
.................	MFA Conservation and Art Material Encyclopedia Online (2005-)
loureiro(genus)............	[VP]
.................	MFA Conservation and Art Material Encyclopedia Online (2005-)
Subject:............	[Bureau AAT]
.................	CHIN database
.................	Van Dale groot woordenboek (1994)
.................	Wiselius, Houtvademecum (1990)

Getty AAT: 300374994 Getty AAT: http://www.getty.edu/vow/AATFullDisplay?find=costume&logic=AND¬e=&subjectid=300374994
聯合目錄： 月桂屬 、月桂 、yüeh kuei shu 、yuè guì shǔ 、yue gui shu 、Laurus 、laurel 、laurier 、laurier 、alloro 、Laurus 、loureiro 、laurel