Daphnales.] 



LAURACEiE. 



535 



Order CCV. LAURACEiE.— Laurels. 



Lauri, Jitss. Gen. 80. (1789).— Laurineae, Vent. Tabl. (1799); R. Brown Prodr. 401; Nees in Wall. PI. 

 As. Rar. 2. 58; Laurin. Expositio, (1833); Endl. Gen. cvi.; Meisn. Gen. 324. 



Diagnosis. — Daphnal Exogens, with anthers bursting by recurved valves, perfect leaves, 



and naked fruit. 



Trees, often of great size. Leaves without stipules, alternate, seldom opposite, entire 

 or very rarely lobed. Inflorescence panicled or umbelled. Calyx 4-6-cleft, sometimes 



Fig. CCCLXV. 



(J $ by abortion, with imbricated aestivation, the limb some- 

 times obsolete. Petals 0. Stamens definite, perigynous, oppo- 

 site the segments of the calyx, and usually twice as numerous ; 

 the 3 innermost, which are opposite the 3 inner segments of 

 the calyx, sterile or deficient ; the 6 outermost scai'cely ever 

 abortive ; anthers adnate, 2-4 -celled ; the cells bm-stuig by a 

 longitudinal persistent valve from the base to the apex ; the 

 outer anthers valved inwards, the inner valved outwards [or 

 both valved inwards]. Some glands usually present at the base 

 of the inner filaments. Ovary superior, 1 -celled, (formed of 

 3 valvate carpellary leaves, and as many rib-like placentae sta- 

 ■'i] tioned at the sutures, all generally imperfect except one, Endl.), 

 Avith one or two smgle pendulous ovules ; style simple ; stigma 

 obtuse, 2- or 3-lobed. Fruit baccate or drupaceous, naked or 

 covered, often placed upon or within the enlarged apex of the 

 flower-stalks. Seed without albumen ; embryo mverted ; coty- 

 ledons large, plano-convex, peltate near the base ; radicle very 

 short, superior ; plumule conspicuous. 



Lam-els are distinguished from all incomplete apetalous Dico- 

 tyledons, except Plume Nutmegs, by the pecuhar dehiscence 

 of then- anthers, and they are divided from that Order by the 

 ovule being pendulous, not erect. In sensible quahties they 

 resemble Nutmegs, which are at once known by their unisexual flowers and columnar 



3. a stamen, with a gland at the hase; 

 cotyledon seen from within, with the 



Fig, CCCLXVI. 



Fig. CCCLXV.— Litsaea Baueri. 1. a male flower ; 2. a female 

 4. an anther, with the recurved valves ; 5. a cluster of fruit ; (5. 

 plumule adhering to the inner face. . , , . , 



Fig. CCCLXVI.— Dehaasia m%A\&.—Blume. 1. its fruit and thickened peduncle 



2. a section of it. 



