PLATE Xm. 



I. CALYCANTIIUS FLORIDUS. 



CAROLINA ALLSPICE. 



This genus comprises a plant of the aromatic shrubby deciduous 

 kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Icosandria Folygynia, and ranks 

 in the natural oixler of the Rosacea-. 



The characters of which are: that the calyx is a one-leafed, 

 pitcher-shaped, squarrose i)erianthium: leaflets coloured, lanceolate; 

 the superior ones gradually larger, resembling petals: there is no 

 corolla, except the calycine folioles, representing petals: the stamina 

 consist of numerous subulate filaments, inserted into the neck of the 

 calyx: the anthers oblong, furrowed, growing to the top of the fila- 

 ments: the pisliUum consists of a great many germs, ending in subu- 

 late compressed styles of the length of the stamens: the stigmas are 

 glandulous: there is no pericarpium, the calyx being thickened, obo- 

 vate, and berried : the seeds are very many and tailed. 



The only species cultivated is C. jioridits, Carolina All-spice. 



It rises to the height of eight or ten feet where it grows naturally, 

 but seldom more than four feet high in this country, dividing into 

 many slender branches near the ground; covered with a brown aro- 

 matic bark, with two entire leaves placed opposite at every joint on 

 short foot-stalks: ihe flowers grow single on short peduncles at the 

 extremity of the branches; they have two series of narrow thick pe- 

 tals, which spread open, and turn inward at the top, like those of the 

 starry anemone colour; these are of a dusky purple colour, and 

 have a disagreeable scent. They appear in May. The strong 

 aromatic scent has obtained it the title of All-spice. 



