10 



SILVA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



LAURACE^. 



Nearly two hundred species ^ of Ocotea are now distinguished^ the largest number being found in 

 the tropical regions of the New World^ distributed from southern Florida, where one species occurs, to 

 Brazil and Peru ; in the Old World a single species is indigenous in the Canary Islands, one inhabits 



South Africa, and several the Mascarene Islands.^ 



Ocotea produces hard, strong, durable, and sometimes beautifully colored wood often employed in 



building and cabinet-makin 



3 



The best known timbe 



of the genus are Ocotea splendens^ of 



the treatment of abscesses 



9 



Guiana, Ocotea fcetens^ of the Canary Islands, and Ocotea hullata^ of South Africa 

 of the leaves of Ocotea Chcianensis'^ is used in its native country 

 and in Brazil a volatile Hmpid oil distilled from Ocotea opifero 

 rheumatism.^^ 



The generic name is derived from the native name of one of the species of Guiana. 



An infusion 



8 



has been employed to alleviate 



stamens 



sec. iii. 226, t. 205. 



Candolle 



sessile, triangular or liguliform, uncontracted at the base, the con- Christ, BoL Jahrb. ix. 157 (Spidlegium Canar.). 



nective produced above the ceUs, papillose. 



Mespilodaphne. Flowers perfect ; filaments of only the sta- 

 mens of the third series glandular. 



Oreodaphne. Flowers dioecious ; filaments of only the stamens 

 of the third series glandular. 



« BaUlon, /. c. 466 (1870). 



Laurus hullata, BurcheU, Travels, i. 72 (1822). 



Oreodaphne hullatay C G. Nees ab Esenbeck, L c. 449 (1836) 



Mag. Iviii 



Meisner, L c. 



The Stink-hout, as this tree is called in South Africa, is com- 

 mon in the forests of the colony. Its wood, which smells disagree- 

 C. G. Nees ab Esenbeck, SysL Laur. 355 (Teleiandra), 358 (Lepo- able when cut, resembles walnut in color and is hard and durable. 



Nov 



daphne), 380 (Oreodaphne), 467 (Camphoromcea), 471 (Ocotea), 

 479 (Gymnobalanus), — Meisner, De Candolle Prodr. xv. pt. i. 96 

 (Mespilodaphne),109 (Nemodaphne), 111 (Oreodaphne), 140 (Gym- 

 nobalanus), 142 (Strychnodaphne), 143 (Camphoromoea) ; Martins 

 Fl. Brasil. v. pt. ii. 186 (Mespilodaphne), 203 (Oreodaphne), 242 

 (Gymnobalanus), 243 (Strychnodaphne), 246 (CamphoromcEa). 

 Hemsley, BoL Biol. Am, Cent. iii. 72. — Mez, Jahrb, K'dnig. Bot. 

 Gart, V. 219 (^Lauracece Americance Monog.) (excl. syn. Sassafridium). 

 2 Bentham & Hooker, Gen. iii. 157. 



^ The woods of several south African trees of the Laurel family 

 are valued in commerce, although even the genera of the trees 

 which produce them are still imknown. 



4 Baillon, Hi^t. PL ii. 466 (1870). — Mez, L c. 282. 

 Oreodaphne splendensj Meisner, De Candolle Prodr. L c. 129 



(1864) ; Martins Fl. BrasiL v. pt. ii. 227. 



5 BaiUon, I. c. (1870), 



Lanrus foetenSy Aiton, Hort. Kew. ii. 39 (1789). — Willdenow, 

 Spec. ii. pt. i. 480. — Buch, Phys. Beschr. Canar. Ins. 140, t. 1. 

 Lanrus Maderiensis, Lamarck, Diet. iii. 449 (1789). 

 Lanrns Till, Poiret, Lam. Diet. Suppl. iii. 324 (1813). 

 Perseafcetensy Sprengel, Syst. ii. 268 (1826). 

 Oreodaphne foetensy C. G. Nees ab Esenbeck, L c. 449 (1836), 



The wood of no other south African tree is more valued by the 



cabinet-maker or the gunsmith, and it is also largely used in the 



construction of houses and in wagon and boat building. (See 



Pappe, Sylva Capensisy 27.) 



7 Aublet, PL Guian. ii. 781, t. 310 (1775).— C. G. Nees ab 



Esenbeck, L c. 476. — Mez, I. c. 296. 



Ocotea sericea, Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth, L c. 162 (1817). 



^qnin 



C. G. Nees ab Esenbeck, L c 



478. 



Persea argentea, Sprengel, L c. 269 (1825). 



Oreodaphne Guianensis, C. G. Nees ab Esenbeck, Linncea, xxi. 

 268, 516 (1848). — Meisner, L c. 112 ; Martins Fl. BrasiL v. pt. 

 ii. 204. 



Oreodaphne sericea, C. G. Nees ab Esenbeck, Z. c. 516 (1848). 

 8 Aublet, L 0-. 783. 

 ^ Martius, Buchner ReperL 1830, 179. — Mez, L c. 291. 



Oreodaphne opifera, C. G. Nees ab Esenbeck, Syst. Laur. 390 

 (1836). — Meisner, De Candolle Prodr. xv. pt. i. 112. 



Mespilodaphne opifera, Meisner, L c. 510 (1864) ; Martins FL 

 BrasiL v. pt. ii. 194, t. 71. 



i*> Martius, SysL MaL Med. BrasiL 110 ; FL BrasiL v. pt. ii. 318 

 (Mespilodaphne). — Rosenthal, Syn. PL Diaphor. 235 (Oreo- 



Endlicher, Enchirid. 205. — Webb & Berthelot, Phytogr. Canar. daphne). 



