CASSYTHACEAE 821 



1. Sassafras Sassafras (L.) Karst. A tree sometimes 30 m. tall, with a maximum 

 trunk diameter of nearly 2 m., the bark broken into flat ridges. Leaf-blades varying 

 from oblong to suborbicular in outline, usually 3-lobed, otherwise entire, sometimes lobed 

 on one side only, sometimes entire, bright green above, gtaucescent and glabrous beneath 

 or nearly so, petioled, the lobes obtuse or acutish : racemes 2-5 cm. long, pubescent : flow- 

 ers greenish yellow, usually numerous : sepals 6, narrowly oblong, obtuse, 2.5-3 mm. long : 

 stamens slightly longer than the sepals : drupe oval, 8-10 mm. long, red or orange, often 

 apiculate, seated in the thick hypanthium. [S. officinalis Nees & Eberm.] 



In woods and fields, Maine to Ontario. Iowa, Nebraska, Florida and Texas. Spring ; matures its 

 fruit in the summer. SASSAFRAS. SASSAFRAX. AGUE TREE. 



4. MALAPOENNA Adans. 



Shrubs or trees, with often zigzag forking branches. Leaves alternate : blades entire, 

 firm. Flowers in clusters or clustered umbels, dioecious. Calyx of 6 or sometimes 4 

 sepals, deciduous. Stamens or staminodia 9, in 3 series, those of the first and second series 

 without glands, those of the third row with glands : anthers 4-celled, introrse. Style en- 

 tire. Drupe subglobose or oblong. [Litsea Lam.] 



1. Malapoenna geniculata (Walt.) Coulter. A spreading glabrous shrub 2-3 m. 

 tall, with zigzag forking branches. 1 Leaf-blades firm, oblong or elliptic, 1.5-6 cm. long, 

 acute or obtuse at both ends, dark green above, paler beneath, slightly reticulated, short- 

 petioled, deciduous : flowers 2-4 together, appearing before the leaves, about 8 mm. broad, 

 nearly sessile : sepals oval or elliptic, obtuse, yellow, spreading : stamens shorter than the 

 sepals : filaments filiform, glabrous : anthers ovoid : drupe subglobose, 5-6 mm. long, red. 

 [Litsea geniculata (Walt. ) Benth. & Hook.] 



In shallow ponds, Georgia to Florida and Louisiana. Winter and spring ; matures its fruit in the 

 summer. 



5. BENZOIN Fabr. 



Shrubs or trees, with a spicy aromatic bark Leaves alternate : blades thinnish, entire, 

 deciduous. Flowers dioecious, yellow, in clusters or umbels, appearing before the leaves. 

 Calyx of 6 or rarely 7-9 nearly equal sepals. Stamens usually 9, in 3 series, all re- 

 duced to staminodia in the pistillate flowers, those of the first and second series usually 

 without glands, those of the third series usually with glands. Anthers 2-celled, introrse. 

 Style variable in length. Drupe pulpy. SPICE-BUSH. BENJAMIN-BUSH. 



Leaf-blades rounded or cordate at the base, pubescent on both sides. \. B. melissaefolium. 



Leaf-blades acute at the base, glabrous on both sides or sparingly pubescent beneath. 2. B. Benzoin. 



1. Benzoin melissaefolium (Walt.) Nees. A low shrub 3-10 dm. tall, its branches 

 foliage and inflorescence pubescent. Leaf-blades quite firm, oblong or oval, 3-12 cm. long, 

 acutish, usually short-acuminate, more or less densely pubescent on both sides, rounded or 

 cordate at the base, short-petioled : flowers yellow, in dense lateral clusters, appearing be- 

 fore the leaves : pedicels equalling the sepals .or longer : sepals thin, 1-1. 5 mm. long : stamens 

 dilated below : drupe obovoid, nearly 1 cm. long. [Lindera melissaefolia (Walt.) Blume.] 



About ponds and swamps, North Carolina to Illinois, Missouri, Florida and Alabama. Winter and 



2. Benzoin Benzoin (L. ) Coulter. A strong-scented and spicy shrub 1-3 m. tall. 

 Leaf -blades obovate, oval or elliptic, 5-12 cm. long, thin, obtuse or usually short-acumi- 

 nate and acute at the apex, often slightly ciliate, acute or acuminate at the base, deep 

 green and glabrous above, pale or glaucescent and glabrous or sparingly pubescent beneath, 

 short-petioled, deciduous : flowers yellow, in dense clusters appearing before the leaves, 6-8 

 mm. broad : pedicels 3-5 cm. long : sepals thin, obovate or oblong, obtuse, truncate or 

 retuse at the apex : stamens shorter than the sepals, slightly dilated below: drupe oval 

 about 1 cm. long, longer than the pedicel. [Lindera Benzoin (L. ) Blume.] 



In swamps and along streams, Massachusetts to Ontario, Michigan, middle Georgia, Tennessee and 

 Kansas. Spring : fruit ripening in August. 



FAMILY 4. CASSYTHACEAE Dumort. CASSYTHA FAMILY. 



Parasitic vines, with slender or filiform stems. Leaves wanting or represented 

 by mere scales. Flowers perfect, inconspicuous, in heads, spikes or racemes. 

 Calyx of 6 sepals surmounting an obovoid or top-shaped hypanthium : outer 

 sepals much smaller than the inner. Corolla wanting. Androecium of 9 sta- 

 mens, those of the first and second series without glands, their anthers 2-celled, 



