10 ILLICIUM. No. 54, 



Sp. lllicium floridannm. Leaves subverticillate, sub- 

 sessile, broad lanceolate, acuminate, entire, evergreen. 

 Flowers geminate, nodding. Petals many, oblong, obtuse. 



DESCRIPTION. A handsome large evergreen, 10 to 

 20 feet high, with fine purple flowers, similar to those of 

 Calycanthus. The leaves grow in tufts or whorls three 

 or four together, are similar to those of Kalmia, but sharp- 

 er. The calyx is deciduous, shorter than the corolla, 

 which has many (20 to 27) petals, oblong, linear or cu- 

 neatej distorted, obtuse. The pistils form a kind of yel- 

 low star in the centre- 



HISTORY. This Genus is nearly related to Magnolia 

 and Liriodendron. Two species, are both found in 

 Florida, equally fragrant in all their parts, like the /. 

 anisatum of China. Their fragrance is however dif- 

 ferent; the Asiatic species smell like Aniseed, the L 

 floridanum somewhat between Coriander and Magnolia, 

 and the /. parviflorum exactly like Sassafras. This last 

 is distinguished by small yellow flowers with few (7 to 9) 

 round petals, and the leaves alternate. Both grow in 

 East and West Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. They 

 are worthy of cultivation for beauty and use, but demand 

 the shelter of a green house in winter north of Virginia. 

 Their bark and seeds ought to be collected for an article 



of trade. 



PROPERTIES. The Bark of/, floridanum is bitter, 



fungent, and aromatic, with a spic;;?^ taste and smell. 

 t is tonic, stimulant, and diaphoretic chiefly, like the 

 barks of the Magnolias and of Cascarllla, to which \t is 

 equivalent. Bigelowhas found in it mucilage, extractive, 

 and an aroma soluble in the distilled water. The leaves 

 and seeds have the same qualities. It may be substitu- 

 ted for Cascarilla in some peculiar fevers, and for the 

 Starry Anise of commerce, which the Chinese chew after 

 dinner as a stomachic and sweetener of the breath. They 

 mix it also as condiment in some dishes, in tea and sher- 

 bet, besides burning it as a perfume and considering it as 

 an antidote to various poisons. 



The /• parviflorum has the same properties, but par- 

 takes also of the qualities of Sassafras, to which it may 



lately be SUbstitiifi^il aa a enrlnrifir nnrl nlfprafivp. 



