'LAURINE.E. SOS 



ORDER CI. LAURINE^E. Juss. Lind. 



Perianth 4 6-cleft. Sfamens definite, perigynous, oppo- 

 site the segments of the perianth and usually twice as nu- 

 merous, 3 innermost ones sterile, or wanting ; 6 outer ones 

 scarcely ever abortive ; anthers adnate, 2 4-celled, the cells 

 bursting by a longitudinal persistent valve from the base to 

 the apex ; the outer anthers valved inwards, the inner out- 

 wards. Glands usually present at the base of the inner fila- 

 ments. Ovary superior, single ; style simple ;' stigma obtuse. 

 Fruit a berry or drupe, naked or covered. Seed without al- 

 bumen ; .embryo inverted ; cotyledons large, plano-convex, 

 peltate near the base. Plumula conspicuous, 2-leaved. 



Trees, often large. Leaves without stipules, alternate. 



1. LAURUS. Linn. 



Perianth 4 5-cleft, equal. Stamens 8 12, arranged in a 

 double row ; outer ones all fertile ; alternate inner ones fer- 

 tile and furnished at base with'2 appendices or glands, (nec- 

 tary.) Drupe flesliy. Enneandria. Monogynia. 



* Leaves perennial. 



1. L. carolinensis Mich. ; leaves oval-lanceolate, coriaceous, glaucous 

 beneath ; peduncles simple, terminated with a few-flowered fascicle ; 

 outer segments of the calyx half as long as the inner. 



HAB. In the Great Cypress Swamp, Sussex county, Delaware ; 

 its most northern boundary. Nutt. S. to Geor. June, ^. 

 A large shrub or small tree. Flowers in small clusters, polyga- 

 mous, pale yellow. Drupe dark blue. 



** Leaves deciduous. Flowers dioecious. 



2. L. benzoin Linn. : leaves obovate, lanceolate, wedgeform at base, 

 entire, whitish and subpubescent beneath ; flowers in clustered umbels, 

 appearing before the leaves ; buds and pedicels smooth. L. pseudo- 

 benzoin Mich. 



HAB. Banks of streams. Can. to Geor. W. to Miss. April, 

 May. "!>. Shrub 610 feet high. Flowers pale yellow. Drupe . 

 roundish, scarlet. Benzoin. Spice-icood. 



3. L. sassafras Linn. : leaves entire, lanceolate-ovate, or 2 3-lobed, 

 under surface prominently veined ; flowers in clustered umbels, ap- 

 pearing before the leaves ; buds, younger branches and under surface 

 of the leaves, pubescent. 



HAB. River banks. Can. to Geor. April. T?. Varies in size 

 from that of a large shrub to a large tree. Leaves various, 

 glabrous or pubescent. Flowers yellow. This and the foregoing 

 species possess medicinal powers. See Dr. Brockenbrough s In- 



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