632 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



of Sweet Bay. The substance called Expressed Oil of Bays or Laurel fat is 

 obtained from both the fresh and dry fruits by pressing them after they 

 have been boiled in water. This is of a green colour, and butyraceous con- 

 sistence. Laurel leaves have somewhat similar properties to the fi-uit. 

 From their aromatic properties they are used by the cook for flavouring. 

 These leaves must not be confounded with these of the poisonous Cherry 

 Laurel, already noticed. (See Frunus, p. 5:^1.) 



Mespilodapfine pretiosa, a native of Brazil, yields the aromatic bark called 

 Casca pretiosa by the Portuguese, 



Necta7idra.— 'N. Rodia=i is the Beheeru or Greenheart Tree of Guiana, the 

 wood of which is very hard and durable, and has been employed in ship- 

 building, &c. Bebeeru or bibiru hark is obtained from the above tree ; it has 

 been used of late years in medicine as a substitute for the cinchona-barks, pos- 

 sessing, like them, tonic, antiperiodic, febrifugal, and astringent properties. 

 These properties are due to the presence of a peculiar alkaloid called Beberia 

 or Bebeerine, which has nearly similar medicinal properties to quinia, and 

 is employed by itself, and in the form of a sulphate, as an economical 

 substitute for sulphate of quinia. It is, however, very inferior in its 

 properties to quinine. The bark and alkaloid are now both officinal in 

 the British Pharmacopoeia. The seeds of the Bebeeru contain starch ; 

 this is mixed with an equal quantity of a decayed astringent wood, and 

 a similar proportion of cassava pulp, and made into a kind of bread, 

 which is used as food by the Indians. JV. cymbarum of Nees, the Ocotea 

 amara at Martins, yields the substance called Brazilian Sassafras. The 

 cotyledons of N. Fuchury major and minor are imported from Brazil under 

 the name of Sassafras- Nuts or Puchurim Beans, which are much esteemed as 

 a flavouring for chocolate. During the continental war they were used as 

 a substitute for nutmegs. Several species of Nectandra, as iV. Jiodicei, 

 JV. sanguinea, N. exaltata, N. leucanf/ia, yield more or less valuable timber. 



Oreodaphne.—SeYeral si:)ecies of this genus yield valuable timber, thus the 

 Siceet-wood is the produce of <). exaltata ; the Til of the Canaries, of 

 O. foetens ; and the Siraballi of Demerara is derived from a species of 

 Oreodaphne or some nearly allied genus. 



Persea.— The fruit of /'. gratissima is in much repute in the "West Indies. 

 It is commonly known as the Avocado or Alligator Pear. P. indica, a native 

 of Madeira, yields a timber somewhat resembling mahogany. 



Sassafras.— ^\\Q root of S. ojficinale under the name of Sassafras, is 

 officinal. Sassafi-as is employed medicinally in this country and elsewhere, 

 as a stimulant, diaphoretic,' and alterative. From it the volatile oil of 

 Sassafras is detained. Sassafras pith is largely used in the United States of 

 America as a demulcent. 



Natural Order 200. Cassythacev-e. — The Dodder - Laurel 

 Order. — Liagno.ns. — This is a small order which was sepa- 

 rated from the Lauracese by Lindley. The only important dif- 

 ferences between the Lauracese and the Gassy thacese consist in 

 the plants of the latter being parasitical in their habit ; in 

 having scales in place of tnie leaves ; and in their fruit being 

 enclosed in a succulent calyx. 



Distrilmtion, ^c. — Natives of tropical regions. There is only 

 1 genus — Cassytha, which contains 9 species. Their uses are 

 unknown. 



Natural Order 201. Atherospermaceje. — The Plume Nutmeg 

 Order. — Character. — Trees with opposite exstipulate leaves. 

 Fiou-crs axillary, racemose, bracteated, diclinous or rarely perfect. 

 Cah/cc tubular, with several divisions. Male flovxrs with nume- 

 rous perigynous stamens ; anthers 2-Gelled, opening by recurved 

 valves. Female flower usually with abortive scaly stamens. 

 Carpels numerous, distinct, each with a solitary erect ovule ; 

 siyles and stigmas as many as the carpels. Fruit consisting of 



