820 LAUKACEAE 



1. Persea P6rsea (L.) Cockerell. A tree becoming 10 m. tall. Leaf-blades oblong, 

 elliptic or oval, or slightly broadest below the middle, glabrous in age, finely reticulated, at 

 least beneath : flowers in naked panicled cymes, the branches of the panicle finely pubes- 

 cent : inner sepals 4-5 mm. long, somewhat surpassing the outer : fruit more or less 

 elongated, often somewhat pyriform, 8-18 cm. long, the flesh butter-like, edible. 



In woods and hammocks, peninsular Florida and the Keys. Naturalized from tropical 

 America. ALLIGATOR PEAR. AVOCADO PEAR. 



2. Persea Borbonia (L. ) Spreng. A tree, reaching a height of 20 m., with a maxi- 

 mum trunk diameter of nearly 1 m., its bark broken into flat ridges. Leaf -blades elliptic 

 or elliptic-oblong, 5-15 cm. long, often acuminate at both ends, bright green and lustrous 

 above, glaucescent and finely reticulated beneath : peduncles axillary, 1-2 cm. long, 3-6- 

 flowered : sepals ascending, the inner ovate, 2-3 times longer than the outer, acutish : 

 fruit obovoid or globose-obovoid, 1-1.5 cm. long, dark blue or nearly black, lustrous. [P. 

 Carolinensis (Michx.) Nees.] 



In swamps and along streams, near the coast. Virginia to Florida and Texas. RED BAY. SWEET 

 BAY. FLORIDA MAHOGANY. TISSWOOD. LAUREL TREE. 



3. Persea littoralis Small. A copiously branched shrub, or a tree 5 m. tall. Leaf- 

 blades elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 2-5.5 cm. long, mostly obtuse at the apex, bright green 

 and lustrous above, pale and glabrous beneath, not reticulated, the lateral veins incon- 

 spicuous : fruit globular, 12-14 mm. long, purple-black under the bloom. 



On sand ridges, near the coast, peninsular Florida. 



4. Persea humilis Nash. A small tree 2-4 m. tall, the twigs, lower leaf-surfaces 

 and the inflorescence si Iky -pubescent. Leaf-blades elliptic or oblong, 4-10 cm. long, 

 more or less revolute, glabrous and shining above, lustrous beneath : sepals erect, obtuse, 

 the inner oblong, 5 mm. long : fruit globular, about 1.5 cm. long, purplish black under 

 the bloom. 



In sand, peninsular Florida. 



5. Persea pube~scens (Pursh) Sarg. A shrub or small tree, reaching a height of 12 

 m., with a trunk diameter of 3-4 dm., its twigs, lower leaf-surfaces and inflorescence 

 tomentose. Leaf-blades narrowly elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate or rarely oval, 5-20 cm. 

 long, usually obtuse, often acuminate at the apex, slightly revolute : sepals erect, acutish, 

 the inner oblong-ovate, about twice as long as the outer : fruit oval, 8-11 mm. long, dark 

 blue with a thin bloom. [P. Carolinensis var. paliistris Chapm.] 



In swamps and hammocks, North Carolina to Florida and Texas. SWAMP RED BAY. SWAMP BAY. 



2. OCOTEA Aubl. 



Aromatic shrubs or trees, resembling Persea. Flowers perfect or polygamo-dioecious, 

 in axillary or nearly terminal pedunculate panicled cymes, the pedicels bearing 2 decidu- 

 ous scales. Sepals 6, nearly equal, deciduous. Stamens 12, in 4 series, those of the inner 

 series reduced to staminodia : anthers 4-celled, the sacs opening introrsely in the two outer 

 series, usually extrorse in the third series. Style cylindric. Drupe varying from ellip- 

 soidal to oblong, with a thin fleshy pulp. 



1. Ocotea Catesbyana (Michx.) Sarg. An evergreen glabrous shrub, or a small 

 tree 2-10 m. tall, with a quite smooth bark, the trunk sometimes 2 dm. thick. Leaf-blades 

 narrowly elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, 5-12 cm. long, acuminate or sometimes obtuse at 

 the apex, nearly flat, acute at the base, deep green and lustrous above, paler beneath : 

 peduncles 2-5 cm. long : calyx creamy-white, 8-9 mm. wide : sepals oblong, obtuse, 

 spreading or recurved : filaments shorter than the anthers : drupe subglobose or oval, 1-1.5 

 cm. in diameter, dark blue or black, lustrous, seated in the red hypanthium. [Nectandra 

 Wittdenoviana Nees. ] 



In sandy soil, peninsular Florida and adjacent islands. Also in the West Indies. Early spring ; 

 matures its fruit in the fall. LANCE WOOD. 



3. SASSAFRAS Nees. 



Commonly dioecious strongly aromatic trees, with a brown furrowed bark and brittle 

 branchlets. Leaves alternate : blades rather membranous, commonly lobed, rarely entire, 

 each narrowed into a slender petiole. Flowers dioecious or rarely perfect, yellowish green, 

 in loose, axillary often corymbose racemes. Sepals 6, nearly equal. Stamens 9, in three 

 series : filaments flattened, those of the inner series with 2 stalked orange-colored glands 

 at the base : anthers 4-celled, introrse, each sac opening by a lid hinged at the top. Style 

 elongated, enlarged towards the apex. Drupe subglobose or oval, with a thin pulp. 



