Class IX.— ENNE ANURIA. 



Order I.— MONOGYNIA. 



S74. LAURUS. L. (Spiccwood, Sassafras, 6cc.) 

 Calix mostly 6-parted. JS^edarium consist- 

 ing oT 3, bisctoso glands, surrounding the germ. 

 Filaments 12, 6 interior, 3 of tiiem sterile and 

 glanduliferous. Berry 1 -seeded. (Stamina va- 

 riable in number. Flowers often dioicous.) 



Small trees or shrubs with entire, and sempervirer.t 

 leaves,^ in some species partly opposite and longitudinal- 

 ly nerved; Howeis paniculate or racemose axillary and 

 terminal, (a i"e\v species have solitary flowers, but are not 

 probably of this genus.) 



Species. 1. L. Catesbici. 2. caroUnensis. Flowering iu 

 July. 1 have met with this plant as far to the north as 

 the Great Cypress Swamp, in Sussex countr}', Delaware, 

 but very rare. The whole plant is aromatic and spicy. 



This extensive genus which affords the Cinnamon, the 

 Cassia, and the Camphor of commerce, is with the above 

 exceptioriS. 5 species in Japan and 1 in Kurope ( L. nobilis)^ 

 entirely tropical; India aflbrds 3 of the most important 

 species, long celebrated as spice,; in the Canary islands 

 there are 2, the tropical regions of America afford no 

 less than 21, amongst tiie most remarkable of which is 

 L. caiistica of Chili, being poisonous, and the L. Persea, 

 called avocado, and alligator-pear, producing a large and 

 very gratetul fruit formed like a pear. 



The deciduous leaved species of the United States ap- 

 pear to constitute a subgenus, which I propose as follows-. 

 * EuoSMus.f Flowers polygamous or dioicous — Ca- 

 lix 6-parted. JVectav'nim none. Stamina 9, fertile; 6 ex- 

 terior, naked, the 3 interior augmented by 6 infertile 

 short stamina, attached by pairs; anthers of tlie sterile 

 stamina glanduloid. Berry 1-seeded. 



Trees or shrubs with alternate deciduous leaves, en> 

 lire or lobed; flowers appearing before the leaves in smalK 



t From {(/oo-^of, odQi'vus. • 



