86 ELEMENTS OF BOTANY. 



and smooth above, paler and pubescent beneath, petioles ^-1 in. 

 long; peduncles about as long as the petioles; calyx pubescent, per- 

 sistent, its lobes unequal; drupes dark blue, on thick, red pedicels. 

 June-July. In moist woodlands. 



II. SASSAFRAS. 



A tree with rough, yellowish bark and a spreading top; 

 leaves deciduous, entire or 2-3-lobed ; flowers dioecious, in- 

 volucrate, at the end of the twigs of the previous season ; 

 calyx 6-parted, persistent in the pistillate flowers; stamens 

 9, in 3 rows ; pistillate flowers with 4-6 abortive stamens 

 and a single ovary ; fruit a drupe. 



S. Sassafras (L.) Karst. Sassafras. A tree, usually small 

 and slender, but sometimes with a trunk 3 ft. in diameter and 125 

 ft. high; leaves oval, entire, mitten-shaped or 3-lobed, pubescent 

 when young but becoming smooth with age, dark green above, 

 paler below, petiolate ; racemes several in a cluster, peduncled ; 

 flowers yellow ; stamens about as long as the sepals ; fruit dark blue, 

 ovoid, on thickened, red pedicels. All parts of the tree aromatic ; 

 trees producing pistillate flowers rare. April-May. Common. The 

 wood is valuable for cabinet making, and an aromatic oil is extracted 

 from the bark. 



III. BENZOIN. 



Shrubs ; leaves deciduous, entire ; flowers in lateral, sessile 

 clusters, appearing before the leaves, dioecious or polyga- 

 mous ; involucre of 4 scales ; stamens 9 in the staminate 

 flowers, filaments slender ; pistillate flowers with 12-15 

 abortive stamens and a single globose ovary with a short 

 style. 



B. Benzoin (L.) Coult. Spice-bush. A shrub 5-15 ft. high, 

 with smooth bark and slender twigs ; leaves oblong-obovate, acute 

 at the base, pale and pubescent beneath, becoming smooth when old; 

 petioles short; flowers about as long as the pedicels, yellow, very fra- 

 grant ; ovary about as long as the style ; fruit an obovoid, red drupe 

 about ^ in. long, on a slender pedicel. February-March. Banks of 

 streams and damp w^oods. Twigs and leaves quite aromatic. 



