478 CXIl. LAURACEiE. Sassafras, 



Vr. baccate or dry. Seeds solitary, ascending. 

 Embri/o cylindric, curved around tleshy albumen. 



Genera 9, species 60, chiefly natives of the tropics. Phytolacca decandria possesses active properties, 

 but they appear to be yet little understood and of doubtful application. 



PHYTOLACCA. Tourn. 



Gr. <j>vrov, a plant, Lat. lacca, lacj from the purple juice of the berries. 



Calyx 5-sepaled, resembling a corolla ; stamens 7 — 20 ; styles 

 !) — 10; berry superior, 10-celled, 10-seeded. — Herbaceous. Racemes 

 often ofposite the leaves. 



P. DECANDRIA. Poke. Garget. Jalap. 



Lvs. ovate, acute at both ends ; Jls. with 10 stamens and 10 styles. — 7\. A 

 common, well-known plant, growing about roadsides, hedges, U. S. and Can. 

 Root very large and branching. The stem, with the diameter of an inch, is 5 

 — 8f high, round, smooth, branching, and when mature, of a fine, deep purple. 

 Leaves 5' by 2 — 3', smooth, of a rich gi'een color, entire and petioled. Racemes 

 cylindric, long, at first terminal, becoming finally opposite to the leaves. Flow- 

 ers greenish-white, consisting of 5 ovate, concave sepals, 10 stamens with white, 

 2-lobed anthers, and 10 short, recurved styles. The fruit is a dark purple berry, 

 of a round, depressed form. The juice of the berries stains paper and linen a 

 beautiful purple color, which, however, is not durable. In Spain, it is said 

 ihey are used to color wine. July — Sept. 



Order CXII. LAUHACE^.— Lauuels. 



Trees and shrtCbs, with alternate, exstipulate lvs. and umbelled or panicled fls. 



Cai.— Sepals 4—6, somewhat united, free from the ovary, imbricated in 2 series. 



Sta- definite, perigynous, usually twice as many as the sepals, the 3 inner sterile or wanting. 



inth. adnate, 2— 4-celled, opening by recurved valves, from the base to the apex. 



Ova — Style and stigma single. 



fy —Berry or drupe on a thickened pedicel. Seed large, without albumen. Phi^nula conspicuous, 2-leaved. 



Genera 46, species 4-50, chiefly natives of the troincs, but few being sufficiently hardy to endure our 

 .•climate. 



Properties.— The species of this highly important order are throughout pervaded by a warm and stimu- 

 'ant aromatic oil. Cinnanwn is the diied bark of Cinnamomura Zeylanicum, of Ceylon, <S:c. Camphor 

 s obtained from many trees of this order, but chiefly from Camphora Ofticinarum, of Japan, China, &c. 

 Cassia Bark, from Ciiniamomum aromaticum, of China. Persea gratissinia, a tree of the W. Indies, 

 /ields a delicious li'iut called the Avomdo pear. Both of the following species are also moderately medi- 

 ciua.. 



Genera. 



S 2 valves. Benzoin, l 

 Anthers opening by ( 4 valves. Sassafras. 2 



1. BENZOIN. Nee.s. 

 Flowers ?, rarely by abortion c? 9- Calyx deeply 6-parted ; sta. 

 9, the inner row eaeb with a pair of opposite, pedicellate glands at 

 base ; anth. opening by 2 valves, detached belovf and reflected up- 

 ward ; sty. short, thick; drupe 1 -seeded. — Lvs. deciduous., entire. Fls. 

 preceding the leaves., lateral. 



B. ODORiFERUM. Nccs. (Laurus Bsnzoin. Liim.) Pcver-hti^h. Spice Wood. 



Lvs. obovate-lanceolate, vcinlcss, entire, deciduous \fl.$. in clustered umbels, 

 often dioecious ; buds ^xiA pedicels .smooth. — A shrub 6 — l-2f in height, in moist 

 woods, U. S. and Can. It has an aromatic flavor resembling gum Benzoin, 

 and the bark an agreeable, spicy taste. Leaves oval or obovate, cuneifoi-m and 

 acute at base, 3 — 4' long and I as wide, paler beneath. Flowers pedicellate, in 

 small, sessile umbels, greenish, appearing in advance of the leaves. Calyx G- 

 cleft, with oblong segments. Berries red. May. 



2. SASSAFRAS. Nees. 

 Dloeciously-polygauious ; calyx colored, 6-parted. J' Sta. 9, fertile, 

 the inner row with each a pair of opposite, pedicellate glands at base ; 

 anth. opening by 4 valves. 9 Sta. G, short, abortive ; sty. filiform ; 



