360 VARIOUS PLANT GROUPS 
a leaf, petal, or slice of pith against the light, when they ap-- 
pear as translucent, scattered dots. This oil it is which 
renders the flowers of the family fragrant, and gives its flavor 
to the fruit of star-anise. Scarcely a trace of such odors are 
to be found in the crowfoot family. 
We may therefore define the magnolia family as woody 
plants having fragrant, solitary, regular flowers, more or less 
like those of the crowfoot family, but with minute reservoirs 
of volatile oil in various parts. 
107. The laurel family (Lauracez) consists also of woody 
plants with oil reservoirs similar to those of the magnolia 
family. This aromatic oil gives to sassafras (Sassafras 
officinale, page 168) and to cinnamon and camphor (Cinna- 
momum, pages 135, 178), as we have seen, their chief economic 
value. Between these and our examples of the magnolia and 
crowfoot families may also be found many other similarities, 
either in habit, form of leaves, or floral structure. 
The morphology of the gynoecium in the laurel family is 
somewhat doubtful. Apparently there is only a single carpel, 
much as in the baneberry, but in sassafras the three-lobed 
stigma may be evidence of three carpels which coalesce: so 
completely as to form a one-celled, one-styled pistil. A 
further peculiarity of sassafras is that the flowers are all 
imperfect and that the two kinds are always on distinct 
plants. The term diecious 1 is applied to this condition. 
A striking feature found throughout the family is the dehiscence 
of the anthers by uplifted valves. This is indicated in the formulas 
by FA~. Another general peculiarity is that the concave torus 
often becomes fleshy and cup-like in fruit—a condition indicated 
by T-T!. The sign © meaning “or otherwise’? when there are 
noteworthy exceptions, is also introduced in the formulas of this 
family, and ? is used to indicate doubt. . 
See pages 406, 407 for formulas of Sassafras and Cinnamomum 
and, derived from them (neglecting exceptions) a typical formula 
for the family. 
Woody plants with minute reservoirs of oil, and regular 
flowers more or less like those of the crowfoot family but having 
the perianth and andrecium mostly perigynous and the anthers 
1 Di-e’ci-ous < Gr. dis, two; oikos, household; symbolized by @: 9. 
