40 ODOROGEAPHIA. 



of Nepal." Both of these are known for their odour resemblini 

 that of true sassafras.* 



What is known in America as the "Swamp Sassafras" tree is 

 the Magnolia glattca, a low-growing deciduous tree which has 

 acquired this common name from the nature of the localities in 

 which it grows and from the resemblance in its properties to 

 Laurus sassafras. It is also known by the name " Beaver tree," 

 because those animals eat the root and make use of the wood in 

 constructing their dw^ellings. 



An essential oil similar in odour to oil of Sassafras is developed 

 in the leaves of Amyris pundata.j- The whole of the trees of the 

 genus Amyris are aromatic. A. punctata is an arboreous shrub 

 native of Chittagong ; about twelve feet in height, with a smooth, 

 dark, rust-coloured bark and rather thin, spreading branches, the 

 lowermost spreading near the surface of the earth. The leaves, 

 which are from 12 to 18 inches long, alternate and pinnate, are 

 entirely deciduous during the cold season, appearing again after 

 the flowers in March. The leaves are marked with glandular dots 

 and the odour of sassafras is very apparent when they are bruised. 

 The numerous small white flowers are formed in terminal 

 panicles.J 



It appears to be the opinion of Professor Fllickiger that safrol 

 is contained in the bark of Beilsclimiedia ohtusifolia Benth. and 

 IIook.,§ an Australian tree which has been described by Bentham 

 (assisted by Ferdinand Mliller) in the " Flora Australiensis, v., p. 

 299, under the name of Nesodaphne ohtusifolia. It is a large and 

 handsome tree growing in Queensland, Eockingham Bay, Fitzroy 

 Eiver, Eockhampton, Archer's Creek (according to Leichardt), also 

 in New South Wales, Clarence Eiver. Hooker and Bentham || 

 ultimately unite the genus Nesodaphne to Beilsclimiedia (a genus 

 of the Order Laurucece-Perseece devoted by Nees to the pharmacist 

 Karl Trangott Beilschmied (1793—1848) of Ohlan, Silesia).*! The 

 tree under notice is therefore to be called Beilsclimiedia ohtusifolia, 

 Benth. and Hook. 



* Waring, Pharmacopceia of India, p. 196. 



t Colebrook in Trans. Lin. Soc. xv., t. 3 f. 5. 



X Roxb. Flor. Ind. ii., p. 251. 



§ Pharm. Jonrn. [3] xvii., p. 989. 



II " Genera plantarum " iii. 1880, p. 152. 



H Archiv. der Pharmacie, cviii. (1849), p. 126. 



