CAMPHORA. 



685. C. officinarum Nees Laurin. 88. — Cinnamomum Cam- 

 phora Nees and Eberm. handb. ii. 430. pi. med. 127. Laurus 

 Camphora Linn. Mat. med. p. 107. Laurus camphorifera Kcempf. 



amcen.p. 770. t. 771 Japan, and China ; cultivated in most of 



the warm parts of the world. 



A tree with lax smooth branches. Leaves somewhat coriaceous, 

 bright green and shining above, paler beneath ; with a sunken gland at 

 the axils of the principal veins, projecting at the upper side, opening 

 by an oval pore beneath. Petioles from 1 inch to 1* inch long, 

 slender, smooth. Panicles axillary and terminal, corymbose, naked. 

 Flowers smooth on the outside. — Chinese Camphor is obtained from 

 the wood, branches and leaves, by means of dry distillation. It is a 

 kind of Stearoptine remaining after the Ekeoptene or aethereal oil of 

 the live tree is evaporated. (Nees.) The Camphor of commerce is 

 chiefly produced in the island of Formosa, and brought bv the Chin- 

 chew junks in very large quantities to Canton, whence foreign markets 

 are supplied. Reeves in Med. bot. trans. 1828. p. 26. 



PERSEA. 



Hermaphrodite ; a few flowers unisexual. Calyx deeply 6- 

 parted, perishing down to the base. Fertile stamens 9, in 3 rows ; 

 the 3 inner with 2 globose glands at the base ; filaments filiform, 

 villous ; anthers oblong, 4-celled, the 6 outer turned inwards, 

 the inner turned outwards. Sterile stamens 3, with a distinct 

 cordate, triangular head. Fruit placed on a pedicel more or less 

 thickened and fleshy. — Flowers panicled. Leafbuds 2-valved, 

 compressed. Leaves ribbed, with pinnate veins. 



686. P. gratissima Gcertn. de fr. et sem. iii. p. 222. Nees 

 Laurin. 128. — Laurus Persea Linn. sp. pi. 529. Sloane Jam. 

 ii. 132. t.222. f. 2. — The tropical parts of America. (Avocado 

 Pear.) 



A large tree. Leaves ovate, ovate-oblong or obovate, rather acute 

 at each end, reticulated, and downy beneath, 9-veined, glaucous. 

 Calyx with nearly equal oblong segments, in downy panicles, 3 or 4 

 inches long. Fruit about as large as a pear, at first surrounded at the 

 base by the permanent calyx, but when ripe placed on a thick succulent 

 peduncle. — The fruit abounds in a fixed oil of a buttery substance, 

 and is much esteemed as a dessert fruit in the West Indies. The 

 leaves are reckoned balsamic, pectoral and vulnerary. The seeds are 

 very astringent. 



N. B. If there is such a plant as Laurus caustica, it probably belongs 

 to this genus ; as Nees v. Esenbeck suggests. But I suspect it is 

 nothing but the tree " Lithri," or Lithrea caustica. 



CARYODAPHNE. 



Flowers hermaphrodite, corymbose-panicled. Calyx funnel- 

 33 3 



