84 



Bulletin 145 



LAUREL FAMILY. LAURACEAE 



This family takes its name from the laurel or bay-tree of 

 Europe, the leaves of which were the emblem of victory. The 

 name laurel is commonly applied in this country to certain 



shrubs of the heath family, the 

 mountain laurel and sheep 

 laurel to be described later. The 

 only members we have of the 

 laurel family properly speaking, 

 however, are the sassafras and 

 spice-bush. The former is a small 

 tree common from Massachusetts 

 southward. It is at its northern 

 limit in southern Vermont where 

 it occurs but sparingly. It 

 does not often reach the stature 

 of a tree in this state but never- 

 theless it was described in 

 "Trees of Vermont." We 

 will simply reproduce the plate 



Sassafras 

 Leaves and young fruit, X 



1/3 



here showing the peculiar leaf outline and refer to that bulletin- 

 for further description. The medicinal qualities of sassafras 

 have long been celebrated. 



SPICE-BUSH. FEVER-BUSi-i. Bcjicoin acstivale (L.) Nees. {Lin- 

 dera benzoin Blume.) 



This is a rare plant in Vermont found in the shade of moist 

 woods and along streams. It is a shrub of four to six feet with 

 slender twigs and graceful habit. The flowers are small and 

 yellow appearing in nearly sessile clusters in early spring ahead 



