C W 1 3 



Laurus geniculata. Flexuose Bay, 



C/#/} W Order. 

 Enneandria Moxocynh. 



Generic Character. —Vide N m - 1470. • 



Specific Charatlcr and Synonyms. 



LAURUS geniculata; ramis divaricatis flexuofis, foliis ovahbus 

 glabris, floribus umbellatis polygamis : umbellulis termi- 

 nalibus paucifloris, antheris quadrilocularibus. 



LAURUS geniculata; ramis divaricatis, flexuofis; foliis deci- 

 duis, lanceolatis, obtufiufculis, glabris, bafi fubtus barbatis ; 

 fub floratione nullis; floribus umbellatis polygamis. Michaux 

 Flor. Am. Bor. 1. p. 244. Terjoon. Synop K 1. p. 450. 



LAURUS geniculata; foliis parvis annuis cequali-obtufo-lanceo- 

 latis, vix venofis, utrinque laevibus ; caule dichotomo- 

 ramofo; gemmis pediccllatis trifloris tetraphyllis; floribus 

 pedicello brevi; drupis rubris. Walter Flor. Carol, p. 133. 



It is not eafy to fay to which fpecies Linn^.us's Laurus 

 <ejlivalis really belongs ; his defcription of the leaves docs not 

 correfpond with this, and as to the charafter of fupra axillary 

 branches, by which we fuppofe he means that the buds arc 

 formed below inftead of in the axils of the branches, it is equally 

 applicable to the three allied fpecies. 



The zigrzag direBion and deep red colour of the branches 

 diftinguifh the geniculata at firft fight; and more fcientific charac- 

 ters are afforded by the little umbels being terminal agd pe- 

 dunculated. A minute examination of the ftamens fhews a 

 difference of charafter hardly to be fufpe&ed in fpecies apparently 

 fo nearly allied as this and the preceding, and which may 

 make it dubious whether both can belong to the fame genus : 

 in Laurus Diofpyrus the anthers, as we have remarked, are 

 two-celled, in geniculata they are four-celled. According to Mr. 

 Brown (vide Prod. Fl. Nov.-Holl. p. 402.J the above character 



mould 



