CHAP. XIx. TERNSTROM/4 CE. GORDO‘NIJA. 379 
Derivation. Named in honour of Alexander Gordon, a celebrated nurseryman at Mile End, near 
London, who lived in the time of Philip Miller. 
Gen. Char. Calyx of 5 rounded coriaceous sepals. Petals 5, somewhat 
adnate to the urceolus of the stamens. Style crowned by a peltate 
5-lobed stigma. Capsules 5-celled, 5-valved; cells 2—4-seeded. Seeds 
ending in a leafy wing fixed to the central column, filiform. (Don’s Mill., 
i. p. 573.) —There are only two hardy species, both sub-evergreen. 
2 1. Gorvo’nz4 Lasta’ntTHuUs L. The woolly-flowered Gordonia, or Loblolly 
Bay. 
Identification. Lin. Mant., 570. ; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 528.; Don’s Mill., 1. p. 573. 
Synonymes. Hypéricum Lasianthus Lin. Sp., 1101., Catesb. Carol., 1. t. 44, Pluk. Amalth., t. 352. ; 
Gordonia & Feuilles glabres, and Alcée de la Floride, Fr. ; langstielige Gordonie, Ger. 
Engravings. Cav. Diss., 6. t. 171.; Sims, Bot. Mag., t. 668.; Catesb. Carol., 1. t. 44.; Pluk. Amalth., 
t. 352.; and our jig. 93. 
Spec. Char., §c. Pedicels axillary, usually shorter than 
the leaves. Leaves oblong, coriaceous, smooth, ser- 
rated. Calyx silky. Capsules conoid, acuminated. 
(Don’s Miil., i. p.573.) A tree growing, in its native 
country, to the height of 50 ft. or 60 ft., with a 
diameter of 18in. or 20in.; and a straight trunk of 
from 25 ft. to 30 ft. “ The small divergency of its 
branches near the trunk gives it a regularly pyramidal 
form; but, as they ascend, they spread more loosely, 
like those of other trees of the forest. The bark 
is very smooth, while the tree is less than 6 in. in 
diameter: on old trees it is thick, and deeply furrowed. 
The leaves are evergreen, from 3in. to 6in. long, 
alternate, oval-acuminate, slightly toothed, and smooth and shining on the 
upper surface. The flowers are more than 1 in. broad, white, and sweet- 
scented: they begin to appear about the middle of July, and continue 
blooming in succession during two or three months. This tree possesses 
the agreeable singularity of bearing flowers when it is only 3 ft. or 4 ft. high. 
The fruit is an oval capsule, divided into five compartments, each of which 
contains small, black, winged seeds.” (Sylva Americana, p. 164, 165.) In 
England, the Gordonia Lasianthus is seldom seen otherwise than as a 
sub-evergreen bush, of 5 ft. or 6 ft. in height; but it flowers beautifully, even 
at that size. It sometimes, however, reaches the height of 10 ft. or 12 ft. 
Geography, History, §c. The loblolly bay has a comparatively limited 
range in North America, being confined to the swamps near the sea coast, 
from the Floridas to Lower Louisiana. “ In the pine-barrens, tracts of 50 or 
100 acres are met with, at intervals, which, being lower than the adjacent 
ground, are kept constantly moist by the waters collected in them after the 
great rains. These spots are entirely covered with the loblolly bay, and are 
called bay swamps. Although the layer of vegetable mould is only 3 in. or 
4 in. thick, and reposes upon a bed of barren sand, the vegetation of these 
trees is surprisingly luxuriant.” (Sylva Amer., p. 164.) This plant seems to 
have been first recorded by Catesby; and it was soon afterwards described 
by Ellis, in the Philosophical Transactions ; and figured there, as well as in 
Catesby’s Carolina. It was introduced into England, about 1768, by Benjamin 
Bewick, Esq.; but it has never been very successfully cultivated, apparently 
from neglecting to imitate its natural habitat, a swampy soil in a low sheltered 
situation. The largest plants in the neighbourhood of London are at Purser’s 
Cross, and are not above 10 ft. high. 
Properties and Uses. The wood of this tree, in America, is considered of 
little use ; but its bark is of great value for tanning, for which purpose it is 
employed throughout the maritime parts of the southern states, and of the 
Floridas. A bark fit for the purpose of tanning is more valuable, in America, 
than might at first sight be imagined ; because, though they have many sorts 
of oak, there are very few the bark of which contains a sufficient quantity of 
tannin to be worth employing by the tanner. Hence the Americans_ import 
