820 LAURACEAE 
1. Persea Pérsea (L.) Cockerell. A tree becoming 10 m. tall. Leaf-blades oblong, 
elliptic or oval, or slightly broadest below the middle, glabrous in age, finely reticulated, at 
least beneath : flowers in naked panicled cymes, the branches of the panicle finely pubes- 
cent: inner sepals 4-5 mm. long, somewhat surpassing the outer: fruit more or less 
elongated, often somewhat pyriform, 8-18 cm. long, the flesh butter-like, edible. 
In woods and hammocks, peninsular Florida and the Keys.  Naturalized from tropical 
America. ALLIGATOR PEAR. AVOCADO PEAR. 
2. Persea Borbónia (L.) Spreng. A tree, reaching a height of 20 m., with a maxi- 
mum trunk diameter of nearly 1 m., its bark broken into flat ridges. Leaf-blades elliptic 
or elliptic-oblong, 5-15 cm. long, often acuminate at both ends, bright green and lustrous 
above, glaucescent and finely reticulated beneath: peduncles axillary, 1-2 cm. long, 3-6- 
flowered : sepals ascending, the inner ovate, 2-3 times longer than the outer, acutish : 
fruit obovoid or globose-obovoid, 1-1.5 cm. long, dark blue or nearly black, lustrous. (P. 
Carolinensis (Michx.) Nees.] 
In swamps and along streams, near the coast. Virginia to Florida and Texas. RED BAY. SWEET 
Bay. FLORIDA MAHOGANY. TISSWOOD. LAUREL TREE. 
3. Persea littoràlis Small. A copiously branched shrub, or a tree 5 m. tall. Leaf- 
blades elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 2-5.5 cm. long, mostly obtuse at the apex, bright green 
and lustrous above, pale and glabrous beneath, not reticulated, the lateral veins incon- 
spicuous : fruit globular, 12-14 mm. long, purple-black under the bloom. 
On sand ridges, near the coast, peninsular Florida. ; 
4. Persea hümilis Nash. A small tree 2-4 m. tall, the twigs, lower leaf-surfaces 
and the inflorescence silky-pubescent. Leaf-blades elliptic or oblong, 4-10 cm. long, 
more or less revolute, glabrous and shining above, lustrous beneath: sepals erect, obtuse, 
the inner oblong, 5 mm. long: fruit globular, about 1.5 em. long, purplish black under 
the bloom. 
In sand, peninsular Florida. 
5. Persea pubéscens (Pursh) Sarg. A shrubor small tree, reaching a height of 12 
m., with a trunk diameter of 3-4 dm., its twigs, lower leaf-surfaces and inflorescence 
tomentose. Leaf-blades narrowly elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate or rarely oval, 5-20 cm. 
long, usually obtuse, often acuminate at the apex, slightly revolute: sepals erect, acutish, 
the inner oblong-ovate, about twice as long as the outer: fruit oval, 8-11 mm. long, dark 
blue with a thin bloom. [P. Carolinensis var. palustris Chapm. ] 
In swamps and hammocks, North Carolina to Florida and Texas. SwAMP RED Bay. SWAMP BAY. 
2. OCOTEA Aubl. 
Aromatic shrubs or trees, resembling Persea. Flowers perfect or polygamo-dioecious, 
in axillary or nearly terminal pedunculate panicled cymes, the pedicels bearing 2 decidu- 
ous scales. Sepals 6, nearly equal, deciduous. Stamens 12, in 4 series, those of the inner 
series reduced to staminodia : anthers 4-celled, the sacs opening introrsely in the two outer 
series, usually extrorse in the third series. Style cylindric. Drupe varying from ellip- 
soidal to oblong, with a thin fleshy pulp. 
1. Ocotea Catesbyàna (Michx.) Sarg. An evergreen glabrous shrub, or a small 
tree 2-10 m. tall, with a quite smooth bark, the trunk sometimes 2 dm. thick. Leaf-blades 
narrowly elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, 5-12 cm. long, acuminate or sometimes obtuse at 
the apex, nearly flat, acute at the base, deep green and lustrous above, paler beneath : 
peduncles 2-5 cm. long: calyx creamy-white, 8-9 mm. wide: sepals oblong, oe 
spreading or recurved : filaments shorter than the anthers: drupe subglobose or oval, 1-1. 
cm. in diameter, dark blue or black, lustrous, seated in the red hypanthium. [Nectandra 
Willdenoviana Nees. ] 
In sandy soil, peninsular Florida and adjacent islands. Also in the West Indies. Early spring; 
matures its fruit in the fall. LANCE Woop. 
3. SASSAFRAS Nees. 
Commonly dioecious strongly aromatic trees, with a brown furrowed bark a 
branchlets. Leaves alternate: blades rather membranous, commonly lobed, rarel 
each narrowed into a slender petiole. Flowers dioecious or rarely perfect, yellowish green, 
in loose, axillary often corymbose racemes. Sepals 6, nearly equal. Stamens 9, in three 
series: filaments flattened, those of the inner series with 2 stalked orange-colored glands 
at the base: anthers 4-celled, introrse, each sac opening by a lid hinged at the top. Sty le 
elongated, enlarged towards the apex. Drupe subglobose or oval, with a thin pulp. 
nd brittle 
y entire, 
