CHAP. XCIII. LAURA CER. LAU’RUS. 1297 
attached to its base. These last have been deemed imperfect stamens. 
Anthers adnate ; of 2 cells in most of the species, of 4 unequal ones in the 
others: each cell is closed by a vertical valve that opens elastically, and 
often carries up the pollen in a mass. Frwit a carpel that is pulpy ex- 
ternally and includes one seed. Cotyledons eccentrically peltate, or, in 
other words, attached to the remainder of the embryo a little above their 
base line; as, according to Brown, is the case in all Lauracez. — Species 
about 9. Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, deciduous, or persistent in 
4 species, entire, or lobed. Flowers, of the kinds having deciduous leaves, 
appearing before the leaves, in small conglomerate umbels; or, in L. Sdssa- 
fras L. and L. albida Nutt., in conglomerate bracteate racemes. (Nuttall 
chiefly.) ZL. carolinénsis Catesby is an evergreen species of the United 
States. L.ndbilis W. is an evergreen species of Italy. The latter has 
fragrant leaves. Most of the American kinds have fragrant bark, and their 
groups of flowers attended by the scales of the buds that had included 
them. (Sims in Bot, Mag.) The genus Lairus L. has been divided, and 
several genera formed out of it ; but all the hardy species are here retained 
under the generic name of Ladrus. There are only three perfectly hardy 
5 a Laurus nobilis, L. Sassafras, and L. Benzoin, but there are several 
that will live in the open air in mild climates, or with a little protection. 
A. Plants evergreen ; hardy. 
= ¢ 1. L.no’sitis LZ. The noble Laurel, or Sweet Bay. 
Identification. Lin. Sp.,529.; Hort. Cliff., 155.; Mill. Dict., No. 1.; Martyn’s Mill, No.9. ; Willd. 
Sp. PL, %. p. 479. ; Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836. 
Synonymes. Latirus Camer., Tourn., Dodon., Ray; L.vulgiris Bauh. Pin., 460. ; Laurier commun, 
Laurier franc, Laurier d’Apollon, Laurier & sauce, Fr.; gemeine Lorbeer, Ger. 
Engravings. Blackw. Herb., t. 175.; Flor. Grac., t. 365.; and the plate in our last Volume. 
Spec. Char., §¢. Evergreen. Flowers 4-cleft. Sexes diccious. Leaves 
lanceolate, veiny. A native of Italy and Greece. (Willd. Sp. P1., ii. p. 480.) 
Varieties. 
# L. x. 2 undulata Mill. is a low shrub, seldom growing higher than 
4 ft. or 6 ft., with leaves waved on the edges, which is stated in the 
Nouveau Du Hamel to be hardier than the species. 
@ L.n. 3 salicifolia Swt., L.n. angustifolia Lodd. Cat., is a shrub, rather 
higher than the preceding variety, with long narrow leaves, not so 
thick as those of the species, and of a lighter green. 
# L. nx. 4 variegata Swt., L.n. fol. var. Lodd. Cat. — Leaves variegated. 
# L. xn. 5 latifolia Mill. has the leaves much broader and smoother than 
those of the species. This is the broad-leaved bay of Asia, Spain, 
and Italy, and it is generally considered as too tender for the open 
air in England. 
a L. n. 6 crispa Lodd. Cat. has the leaves somewhat curled. 
a L. x. 7 flore pléeno N. Du Ham. has double flowers. 
There are also occasionally variations, such as the stamens varying in 
number, and the stamens being sometimes expanded flat. 
Description, §c. An evergreen tree, or rather enormous shrub, sometimes 
growing to the height of 60 ft., but always displaying a tendency to throw up 
suckers; and rarely, if ever, assuming a tree-like character. The leaves are 
evergreen, and of a firm texture; they have an agreeable smell, and an aromatic, 
subacrid, slightly bitterish taste. The flowers are dicecious, or the male and 
female on different trees, and are disposed in racemes shorter than the leaves, 
The male tree is the most showy, from the greater proportion of yellow in the 
flowers. The berry is ovate, fleshy, and of a very dark purple, approaching 
to black. The sweet bay tree is a native of the south of Europe, and the 
north of Africa, where its general height is about 30 ft. St. Pierre observes 
that the wild bay trees on the banks of the river Peneus in Thessaly are remark~ 
ably fine, which might probably give rise to the fable of Daphne (supposing the 
Greck daphné to be this tree) being a nymph, the daughter of that river. 
4Q 2 
