290 ORDER 108. LAURACE^E. 



with 5 intervening sterile filaments, anth. 1-ccllecl. Stig. capitate. Fr. as 

 in Iresine. Leaves opposite. Heads axillary and terminal. 

 T. polygonoides Moq. Procumbent, diffuse, hairy ; leaves oval, obtuse, attenuate 

 to a winged petiole ; flowers silvery whitish. 11 Waste grounds, S. 



7. FRCEIiICHIA, Mcench. Fls. 3-bracted. Calyx tubular, 5-cleft at 

 apex. Sta. 5, connate into a tube, with 5 sterile filaments. Anth. 1-celled. 

 Stigmas capitate or tufted. Utricle enclosed in the hardened calyx, (p 

 Hairy or woolly sterns, long-jointed. 



P. Florida mi Moq. Nearly simple, strictly erect; leaves linear; flowers in short 

 dense, cottony spikes. River banks, W. and S. 1 3f. Juty, August 



ORDER CVIII. LAURACE^E. LAURELS. 



Trees and shrubs aromatic, mostly with alternate, simple, punctate leaves. 

 Flowers with a colored perianth of 4 6 slightly united, strongly imbri- 

 cated sepals. Antliers 2- or 4-celled, opening upward by as many recurved, 

 lid-like valves. Ovary 1-celled, 1-ovuled, free, in fruit a berry or a drupe. 

 Seed without albumen. 



g Flowers perfect. Stamens 12, the 3 inner sterile. o Evergreen trees PERSKA, 1 



a Leafless vines. S. Fla CASSYTA. 



$ Flowers dioecious. Stamens 9, all fertile. Leaves deciduous... (*) 



* Involucre none. Anthers 4-celled. 4-valved. Leaves lobed SASSAFRAS. 2 



* Involucre 4-leaved. Anthers 2-celled, 2-valved. Leaves entire BENZOIX. 3 



* Involucre 4-leaved. Anthers 4-celled, 4-valved. Leaves entire TETRANTHERA. 4 



1. PERSE A, Gaert. RED BAY. BAY GALLS. Fls. $ , umbellate, with 

 no involucre. Cal. of 6 sepals. Sta. 12, the 3 inner sterile, reduced to mere 

 glands, anth. 4-celled (2 cells above and 2 below). Drupe oval, seated on 

 the persistent calyx, containing 1 large seed. J> 



I". Carolinensls MX. Tree 30 40f, often but a shrub, with lance-oblong, entire, firm 

 leaves, 6' ; umbels small, on ped. 12' ; drupe oval, blue. Swamps, Va. to Fla. 

 Bark deep-furrowed ; wood fine, rose-colored. April, May. 



2. SASSAFRAS, Nees. SASSAFRAS. Fls. & 9. Calyx 6-parted, de- 

 ciduous. $ Sta. 9, the 3 inner with a pair of glands at base, anth. 4-celled. 



9 Sta. 6, all sterile. Ov., style, and stig. 1. Drupes ovoid, blue, on thick 

 red pedicels. ^ Flowers yellow, appearing before the leaves in Mar. Jn. 



S. officinal e Nees. Shrub or small tree, 10 20f : leaves of two forms ovate and en- 

 tire, or 3-lobed, cuneate at base ; flowers handsome, in racemes or corymbs. Fields 

 and woods. Bark pleasantly aromatic. 



3. BENZOIN, Nees. SPICE WOOD. Flowers $ $ , with 4 involucrate 

 scales. Cal. 5- or 6-parted. $ Sta. 9, the inner 3 glandular at base, anth. 

 2-Celled. $ Sta. 1518 rudiments. Drupe obovoid, red. > *> Lvs. entire. 

 Fls. yellow, in small lateral clusters before the leaves. (Lindera, Thunb.) 



1 IB. odoriferum Nees. Shrub 6 12f; leaves lance-obovate, acute at base; buds 



and pedicels smooth. Moist woods : common. May. 



2 B. me liswae folium Nees. Shrub 2 3f ; leaves lance-oblonjj, abrupt or cordale 



at base ; buds and pedicels villous. Swamps. S. February, March 



