324 WOODY PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



XII. 2. FEVER BUSH. SPICE BUSH. BENZOIN 

 ODORI'FERUM. Nees Von Esenbeck. 



The spice bush is a shrub, from four to ten feet high, with 

 long, tapering, brittle branches. The recent shoots are smooth, 

 and of a bright green, which, in the next year, takes an olive 

 tint, and afterwards a pearly gray, which becomes darker on 

 the older stalks. The leaves are from two to five inches long, 

 and one or two wide, scattered, very entire, broad lanceolate or 

 obovate, sometimes almost rhomboidal, tapering at base, ab- 

 ruptly pointed, sometimes obtuse, smooth and of a pleasant 

 soft green above, pale or glaucous beneath ; revolute and deli- 

 cately ciliate on the margin ; supported on leaf-stalks about 

 half an inch long, smooth or rarely downy. In April, or the 

 early part of May, clusters of from three to six flowers, of a 

 greenish yellow, on very short pedicels, appear from buds 

 distinct from the leaf-buds, in the axils of the last year's leaves. 

 What seem to be petals, are a calyx of six oblong, obtuse seg- 

 ments. The stamens are somewhat shorter, nine in number, in 

 two rows, six exterior, and three interior, alternating with sta- 

 men-like bodies; the filaments of the inner series trifid, with 

 the lateral segments short and terminating in two-lobed glands. 

 Anthers two-celled, cells opening by vertical elastic valves. 

 Ovary roundish, surmounted by a short thickish style. Fruit a 

 dark red or purple drupe, of an oval shape, in bunches of from 

 two to five, by the side of the base of the short leaf-branches, 

 which are sometimes abortive. The stem is short and stout, 

 not so long as the fruit. While green, the drupe has the black 

 style in a terminal hollow. 



This plant is remarkable for its graceful form, and large, hand- 

 some leaves, particularly when found growing in the deep shade 

 of a moist forest. Such a situation, where it seems most vig- 

 orous, is not favorable to the production of its flowers and fruit. 



This plant derives its botanical name from its aromatic odor, 

 resembling gum benzoin. This is to some persons always dis- 

 agreeable, and when the leaves are bruised, oppressively strong. 

 The bark is stimulant and tonic, and has been used in inter- 

 mittent fevers. The berries are said to have been sometimes 



