CHAP. XCHI. iAUllA^CE^, /.AU'UUS. 1297 



attached to its base. These last have been deemed imperfect ritamens. 

 Anthers adnate ; of 2 cells in most of the species, of 4 uneqnal ones in tiie 

 others : each cell is closed by a vertical valve that opens elastically, and 

 often carries up the pollen in a mass. Fruit a carpel that is pulpy ex- 

 ternally and includes one seed. Cotyledons eccentrically peltate, or, in 

 other words, attached to the remainder of the embryo a little above their 

 base line ; as, according to Brown, is the case in all jLauraceae. — Species 

 about 9. Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, deciduous, or persistent in 

 4 species, entire, or lobed. Flowers, of the kinds having deciduous leaves, 

 appealing before the leaves, in small conglomerate umbels ; or, in L. Sassa- 

 fras L. and L. albida Xutt., in conglomerate bracteate racemes. {Xnttall 

 chiefly.) L. carolinensis Cateshy is an evergreen species of the United 

 States. L. nobilis W. is an evergreen species of Italy. The latter has 

 fragrant leaves. Most of the American kinds have fragrant bark, and their 

 groups of flowers attended by the scales of the buds that had included 

 them. (5hh.s in Bot. Mag.) The genus iaurus L. has been divided, and 

 several genera formed out of it ; but all the hardy species are here retained 

 under the generic name of Xaurus. There are only three perfectly iiardy 

 species, Xai'irus nobilis, L. Sassafras, and //. Benzoin, but there are several 

 that will live in the open air in mild climates, or with a little protection. 



A. Plants evergreen ; hardy. 

 • ILL. no'bilis L. The noble Laurel, or Sweet Bay. 



Identification. Lin. Sp.,529. ; Hort. Cliff., 155.; Mill. Diet., No. 1. ; Martyn's Mill., No. 9. ; WilUl. 



Sp. PI., 2. p. 47!). ; Lodil. Cat , ed. 1836. 

 Synonymes. iaiirus Canter., Tourn.,Dodon., Ray; L vulg'tris Baiifi. Pin.,i60. ; Laurier commuii, 



Laurier franc, Laurier d'Ai)ollon, Laurier k sauce, Fr. ; gemcine Lorbeer, Get: 

 Etigravings. Blackw. Herb., t. 175. ; Flor. Griec, t. 365.; and the plate in our last Volume. 



Spec. Char., 4'c. Evergreen. Flowers 4-cleft. Sexes dioecious. Leaves 

 lanceolate, veiny. A native of Italy and Greece. {Willd. Sp. PI., ii. p. 480.) 



J'aricties. 



» L. H. 2 iindiddta Mill, is a low shrub, seldom growing higher than 

 4 ft. or 6 ft., with leaves waved on the edges, which is stated in the 

 Nonveau Du Hamel to be hardier than the species. 



» L. n. 3 salirifblia Swt., L. n. angustifolia Lodd. Cat., is a shrub, rather 

 higher than the preceding variety, with long narrow leaves, not so 

 thick as those of the species, and of a lighter green. 



« L. 72. 4 variegdta Swt., L. n. fol. var. Lodd. Cat. — Leaves variegated. 



« L. n. 5 latifolia Mill, has the leaves much broader and smoother than 

 those of the species. This is the broad-leaved bay of Asia, Spain, 

 and Italy, and it is generally considered as too temier for the open 

 air in England. 



• L. 11. 6 crispa Lodd. Cat. has the leaves somewhat curled, 



« L. n, 1 Jlore plato N. Du Ham. has double flowers. 



There are also occasionally variations, such as the stamens varying in 

 number, and the stamens being sometimes expanded flat. 



Description, ^-c. An evergreen tree, or rather enormous shrub, sometimes 

 growing to the height of GO ft., but always displaying a tendency to throw up 

 suckers; and rarely, if ever, assuminu' a tree-like character. The leaves are 

 evergreen, and of a "firm texture; they have an agreeable smell, and an aromatic, 

 snbacrid, slightly bitterish taste. The flowers are dioecious, or the male and 

 female on different trees, and are disposed in racemes shorter than the leaves. 

 The male tree is the most showy, from the greater proportion of yellow in the 

 flowers. The berry is ovate, fleshy, and of a very dark purple, approaching 

 to black. The sweet bay tree is a native of the south of Europe, and the 

 north of Africa, where its general height is about 30 ft. St. Pierre observes 

 that tlie wild bay trees on the banks of the river Peneus in Thcssaly are remark- 

 ably fine, which might probably give rise to the fable of Daphne (supposing the 

 Greek daphne to be this tree) being a nymph, the daughter of that river, 



4«j 2 



