LAURACEAE. 



VOL. II. 



2. Persea pubescens (Pursh) Sarg. Swamp 

 Bay. Fig. 1968. 



Laurus carolinensis var. pubescens Pursh, Fl. Am. 



Sept. 1814. 

 Persea carolinensis var. palustris Chapm. Fl. S. 



States, 393. 1860. 

 Persea pubescens Sarg. Silva 7: 7 pi. 302. 1895. 



A tree, seldom over 35 high, the trunk some- 

 times 15' in diameter. Bark brown; twigs densely 

 brown-tomentose ; leaves oval, oblong or lanceo- 

 late, glabrous and shining above when mature, 

 pubescent beneath or also tomentose on the veins, 

 acute, acuminate or obtuse at the apex, usually 

 narrowed at the base, strongly pinnately veined, 

 3' -7' long, i'-ij' wide; petioles 4"-8" long; 

 peduncles tomentose, mostly longer than the peti- 

 oles, sometimes 2'-$' long; calyx tomentose, its 

 inner segments longer than the outer; berry dark 

 blue, 6"-9" in diameter. 



In swamps and along streams, southern Virginia 

 to Florida and Mississippi, near the coast. Great 

 Bahama Island. Wood hard, orange-brown ; weight 

 per cubic foot, 40 Ibs. May-July. Fruit ripe Sept. 



2. SASSAFRAS Nees & Eberm. Handb. Med. Pharm. Bot. 2: 418. 1831. 



A rough-barked tree, with broad entire or i-j-lobed deciduous leaves, and yellow dioe- 

 cious flowers in involucrate umbelled racemes at the ends of twigs of the preceding season, 

 unfolding with or before the leaves, the involucre composed of the persistent bud-scales. 

 Calyx 6-parted, that of the pistillate flowers persistent, its segments equal. Staminate 

 flowers with 3 series of 3 stamens, the 2 outer series with glandless filaments, those of the 

 inner series with a pair of stalked glands at the base. Anthers all 4-celled and introrse, 

 4-valved. Pistillate flowers with about 6 staminodia and an ovoid ovary. Fruit an oblong- 

 globose blue drupe. [The popular Spanish name.] 



Two species, the following typical one of eastern North America, the other Asiatic. 



i. Sassafras Sassafras (L.) Karst. Sassafras or Ague Tree. Fig. 1969. 



Laurus Sassafras L. Sp. PI. 371. 1753. 



Sassafras officinal* Nees & Eberm. Handb. Med. 



Pharm. Bot. 2: 418. 1831. 



Sassafras Sassafras Karst. Deutsch. Fl. 505. 1880-83. 

 S. variifolium Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 574. 1891. 



A tree sometimes 125 high, the trunk 7 in 

 maximum diameter; the bark rough in irregular 

 ridges, aromatic, the young shoots yellowish- 

 green, the twigs and leaves mucilaginous, pubes- 

 cent when young but becoming glabrous. Leaves 

 oval and entire or mitten-shaped, or 3-lobed to 

 about the middle and often as wide as long, pin- 

 nately veined, petioled ; petioles i' long or less ; 

 racemes several or numerous in the umbels, pe- 

 duncled ; flowers about 3" broad ; stamens about 

 equalling the calyx-segments ; fruiting pedicels 

 red, much thickened below the calyx ; drupe 

 nearly i' high. 



In dry or sandy soil, Maine to Ontario, Michigan, 

 Iowa, Florida and Texas. Root largely used for the 

 aromatic oil. Wood soft, weak, durable, brittle ; color 

 dull orange; weight 31 Ibs. per cubic foot. April- 

 May. Fruit ripe July-Aug. Cinnamon-wood. 

 Smelling-stick. Saloop. 



3. GLABRARIA L. Mant. 2: 156, 276. 1771. 

 [MALAPOENNA Adans. Fam. PI. 2: 447. Hyponym. 1/63.] 

 [TETRANTHERA Jacq. Hort. Schoen. i : 59. pi. 113. 1797.] 



Trees or shrubs, with entire leaves, deciduous in our species, and small greenish or yel- 

 low dioecious flowers in small umbels or almost capitate, involucrate by the bud-scales, 

 axillary, or in the following species unfolding before the leaves at the nodes of twigs of 

 the previous season. Calyx 6-parted, deciduous. Staminate flowers much as in Sassafras, 

 bearing 3 series of 3 stamens, their anthers all 4-celled, 4-valved and introrse. Pistillate 



