XIII. THE LEATHER WOOD. 325 



used in place of allspice. In Pennsylvania, a decoction of the 

 branches is often used as a medicinal drink for horned cattle in 

 the spring of the year. — Darlington. 



Two or more species of Benzoin are found in the Southern 

 States. Nuttall proposed, while the Sassafras and Benzoin were 

 still united with Laurus, to separate them from the other spe- 

 cies, and unite them in one genus Euosmus. 



FAMILY XIII. THE MEZEREUM FAMILY. THYMELA'CEM. 



LlNDLEY. 



This contains shrubby plants wanting a corolla, but hav- 

 ing a corolla-like, colored calyx, and a very tough bark. The 

 calyx is tubular, with its border usually four-cleft, and with 

 four or eight stamens, growing from its tube. Most of the 

 plants belong to the Cape of Good Hope and Australia ; many 

 are found in the cooler parts of India and South America ; a 

 few in Europe and Middle Asia; a single genus is found in 

 North America. 



The plants of this family are distinguished for an acrid or 

 caustic principle in the bark. When chewed, it produces a burn- 

 ing sensation in the mouth, and, taken into the stomach, causes 

 heat and vomiting, or purging. Applied externally, it slowly 

 produces a blister. The bark is made up of interlaced fibres of 

 great strength, from which cordage has been made. A sort of 

 natural lace is formed of it, in the Lagetta, or Lace Bark of 

 Jamaica. In Nepaul, paper has been manufactured from it. 

 A yellow dye for wool is formed from two plants of this family, 

 in the south of Europe. 



THE LEATHER WOOD. DIRCA PALU'STRIS. L. 



Figured in Bigelow's Medical Botany, Plate 38. 



This is a much branched shrub, from three to five or six feet 

 in height. The tough, flexible, dichotomous branches which 

 come from the bottom of the stem, have a horizontal tendency, 



