STARRY ANISE. 77 
Mexico, and is often mentioned by the traveller 
Bartram, with his accustomed enthusiasm, as one 
of the chief beauties of that exuberant region. 
In the Northern states, as well as in Europe, it 
is preserved by artificial heat. The drawing, 
which ilustrates our description, was made from 
a greenhouse specimen. : 
The character assigned to this genus is 
formed by a six leaved calyx, twenty seven petals, 
and a number of capsules arranged in a circle, two 
valved, one seeded. ‘The species Floridanum has 
its leaves acuminate and its petals numerous, 
oblong and linear. 
The class and order are Polyandria, Polygy- 
nia; and the Natural orders Coadunate, Linn. 
Magnolice, Juss. vs winuit 
- The Illicium Vioridancti! is a shrub, in some 
instances entitled to be considered a small tree. 
Its leaves are scattered, or grow in tufts, on short 
petioles. They are evergreen, oy al lanceolate, 
slightly acuminate, entire, smooth on both sides, 
and firm or fleshy. ‘The flower buds proceed from 
the sides of the branches at the axils of the last 
year’s leaves. The flowers grow on slender, 
nodding peduncles, an inch or two long. When 
fully expanded, they are about the size of a dollar, 
and of a dark, purplish crimson. Calyx deci- 
