394 1..WUACE.E. (laurel family.) 



bearded at the apex; drape black. (Lauras Catesbyana, Michx.) — South Flor- 

 ida. — Shrub G° - 9° high. Leaves 3' - 5' long. Fruiting pedicels club-shaped. 



2. SASSAFRAS, Nces. 



Involucre none. Flowers diceciously polygamous. Calyx 6-parted, spread- 

 ing. Stamens of the sterile flowers 9, in 3 rows, all fertile, the 3 inner ones 

 biglandular at the base ; those of the fertile flowers 6, sterile : anthers linear, 

 i. 4-valvcd, introrsc. Style subulate : stigma disk-like. Drupes blue, on 

 thick red pedicels. — Trees, with entire or 2-3-lobed deciduous leaves, and 

 greenish flowers in clustered racemes, appearing before the leaves. 



1 . S. officinale, Nces. Leaves ovate, entire or 2 - 3-lobed, smooth or 

 pubescent; racemes short, silky i flowers sometimes white. (Lauras Sassafras, 



L.) — Dry open woods and old fields, Florida, and northward. March. — A 

 small tree, with spicy hark. 



3. BENZOIN, Nces. SriCE-Busn. 



Involucre 4-leavcd. Flowers diceciously polygamous. Calyx 6-parted. Sta- 

 mens of the sterile flowers 9 (more numerous and rudimentary in the fertile 

 flowers), in 3 rows : filaments slender, the inner ones lobed and glandular at the 

 base : anthers ovate, 2-celled, 2-valved, introrsc. Style short Drupe ohovoid, 

 nd, the pedicels not thickened. — Shrubs, with entire deciduous leaves, and dull 

 yellow flowers in lateral sessile clusters, appearing before the leaves. 



1. B. odoriferum, Nces. Branches slender, smooth ; leaves oblong-obo- 



vatc, acute at the base, paler and pubescent beneath, soon smooth ; clusters 

 numerous, smooth. (Laurus Benzoin, L.) — Banks of streams and low woods, 

 Florida, and northward. Feb. and March. — A shrub 6°- 10° high, with spicy 

 bark. Leaves 3' - 5' long. 



2. B. melissffifolium, Necs. Leaves oblong, short-petiolcd, obtuse or 

 slightly cordate at the base, silky on both sides, as also the branehlcts and 

 Clusters, at length smooth above; drapes oboToid. (Laurus melisaffifdlia, 

 Walt.) — Margins of ponds, West Florida to North Carolina. Feb. and March. 

 — A shrub 2° -3° high. Leaves l'-2' long. 



4. TETRANTHERA, Jacq. 



Involncrc 2 - 4-leavcd. Flowers dheeious. Calyx 6-pnrtcd, deciduous. Sta- 

 mens of the sterile (lowers 9, in 3 rows; thoso of the fertile flowers numerous 

 and rudimentary : anthers 4-celled, 4-valved, introrse. Stigma peltate. Drupe 

 globe ■ Trees <»r shruhs, with entire leaves, and small llowers in clustered 



umbels. 



l. T. goniculata, Nces. Branchleta smooth, rfgzag, spreading; leaves 

 small, oral or oblong, won smooth, deciduous ; involucre ii -4-nc-wered ; flowers 

 yellow, appearing before the leaves ; drupe red. (Laurus geniculate, Walt.) — 

 Shallow pine-barren ponds, Florida, and northward. Feb. and March. — A 



