N. ORD. LAURACEA. 145 
GENUS.—LINDERA,* THUN. 
SEX. SYST.—ENNEANDRIA MONOGYNIA, 
BENZOIN. 
SPICE-BUSH. 
SYN.—LINDERA BENZOIN, MHIS.; LAURUS BENZOIN, LINN.; BENZOIN 
ODORIFERUM, NEES; LAURUS PSEUDO-BENZOIN, MICHX. 
COM. NAMES.—COMMON SPICE-BUSH, ALLSPICE-BUSH, BENJAMIN- 
BUSH, WILD ALLSPICH, FEVER-BUSH, SPICH-BERRY ; (FR.) LAURIER 
BENZOIN; (GER.) BENZOELORBEER, 
A TINCTURE OF THE FRESH YOUNG TWIGS OF LINDERA BENZOIN, MEIS. 
Description.—This aromatic shrub grows toa height of from 6 to 18 feet. 
Branches smooth and maculate. Leaves deciduous, nearly glabrous, thin, pale 
beneath, oblong-ovate and acute at both ends. /n/florescence lateral, nearly sessile, 
umbel-like clusters, composed of umbellets of 4 to 6 flowers; zzvolucre formed of 
4 deciduous scales surrounding the flowers; flowers numerous, polygamous- 
dicecious, prefolial. Calyx open, honey-yellow, 6-parted, membraneous, S/amens: 
sterile flowers 9, in 3 rows; filaments of the ener row dilated and 1 to 2 lobed, 
bearing at the base a reniform and more or less peltate gland (Fig. 4); the ex- 
ternal 6 simple; azthers 2-celled and -valved, opening upward to the apex; fertile 
flowers: stamens 15 to 18 rudimentary, some filiform and pointed, others more or 
less spatulate. Ovary globular or globose-ovoid; s¢y/e short; ségma capitellate. 
Fruit a scarlet, ovoid drupe. 
Lauracez.—A family of aromatic trees or shrubs widely distributed over the 
temperate and tropical portions of the globe. eaves alternate, simple, entire or 
sometimes lobed, mostly having pellucid dots. Flowers clustered; @stivation im- 
bricate in 2 rows ; calyx regular, free from the ovary; sepa/s 4 to 6, petaloid, mostly 
fewer than the stamens. Anthers opening by 2 to 4 uplifting valves. Ovary 1- 
celled, 1-ovuled; style single. /ruzta 1-seeded berry or drupe; seed anatropous, 
suspended ; a/bumen wanting ; embryo large amygdalaceous. 3 
We derive but two other remedies from this order, viz.: Camphor, the 
Chinese and Japanese Laurus camphorifera (Cinnamomum Camphora, Camphora 
officinarum); and Cinnamon, the Ceylon Gunamomum Zeylandicum (Laurus Cin- 
namomum). The other products of this order are: Cassia buds, the dried, un- 
developed flower buds of the cinnamon tree; Cassia bark (Cc imnamomum aroma- 
* John Linder, a Swedish botanist of the 18th century. 
