LAUEACEAE 821 



scaly without like the hypanthium: anthers less than 1.5 mm. long: fruits oblong to 

 oval, 6-8 mm. long. 



On banks and in thickets, about Augusta, Georgia, and other cities. Naturalized 

 from Japan. 



2. Elaeagnus multiflorus Thunb. A shrub mostly 1-2.5 m. tall. Leaves rather 

 numerous; blades elliptic to oblong or somewhat obovate to oval, 3-6.5 cm. long, 

 rounded or abruptly blunt-tipped at the apex, bright green above, silvery beneath, 

 short -petioled : flowers few or several together in umbel-like clusters, rather long- 

 pedicelled: hypanthium stout, slightly dilated upward, 5.5-7 mm. long during anthesis: 

 sepals orbicular-ovate to reniform, 3-4 mm. long, copiously scaly without, like the 

 hypanthium: anthers over 1.5 mm. long: fruits oval, 7-1 mm. long. 



On roadsides and in fields, southern Louisiana. Naturalized from Japan. 



FAMILY 3. LAURACEAE Lindl. LAUREL FAMILY. 



Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate or opposite: blades entire or lobed. 

 Flowers in open or congested cymes. Perianth of 6 (rarely 4-10) sepals in 2 

 series. Androecium of usually more stamens than there are sepals, in 2-4 series, 

 those of the third series usually glandular-appendaged, those of the fourth 

 series mostly mere staminodia. Gynoecium a single carpel. Ovary 1-celled. 

 Fruit drupaceous. 



Anthers 4 -celled, 4-valved. 



Anthers of the outer stamen-series extrorse. 

 Staminodia present, large, often sagittate. 

 Sepals deciduous. 



Calyx falling away as separate sepals: leaf-blades ribbed. 1. CAMPHORA. 



Calyx falling away with the sepals united: leaf-blades pinnate- 

 veined. 2. PERSEA. 

 Sepals persistent under the fruit. 3. TAMALA. 

 Staminodia small, subulate, or wanting. 4. OCOTEA. 

 Anthers introrse. 



Sepals persistent on the cup-like hypanthium. 5. SASSAFRAS. 



Sepals deciduous from the cylindric hypanthium. 6. MALAPOENNA. 



Anthers 2-celled, 2-valved. 



Mature hypanthium large, succulent: anthers extrorse: inflorescence of erect 



panicles. 7. MISANTECA. 



Mature hypanthium minute, dry: anthers introrse: inflorescence of umbel- 

 like, clusters. 8. BENZOIN. 



1. CAMPHORA L. 



Trees or shrubs, the buds very scaly. Leaves alternate or opposite, persistent: 

 blades entire. Flowers in panicled axillary cymes. Sepals broad, distinct, deciduous. 

 Style slender : stigma minute. Drupe equilateral, as wide as long or nearly so. 



1. Camphora Camphora (L.) Karst. A shrub or small tree: leaf -blades elliptic 

 to ovate, 4-12 cm. long, short-acuminate, pale beneath, long-petioled : panicles slender- 

 peduncled: sepals 1-1.5 mm. long: drupes globose to oval-globose, &-9 mm. in diameter. 



In pine lands and woods, peninsular Florida. Naturalized from eastern Asia. 

 CAMPHOR-TREE. 



2. PERSEA Gaertn. 



Trees. Leaves alternate, persistent: blades entire. Flowers in terminal panicled 

 cymes. Sepals 6, united at the base, deciduous. Style subulate: stigma minute. 

 Drupe inequilateral. 



1. Fersea P6rsea (L.) Cockerell. A large tree: leaf -blades oblong, elliptic or 

 oval, or slightly broadest below the middle, 8-15 cm. long, short-petioled : inner sepals 

 4-5 mm. long, somewhat surpassing the outer: fruits slightly elongated, often pyri- 

 form, 8-18 cm. long, the flesh butter-like. 



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

 America. Spring. ALLIGATOR PEAR. AVOCADO PEAR. 



3. TAMALA Kaf. 



Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate, persistent: blades entire. Flowers in axillary 

 peduncled cymes. Sepals 6, dissimilar. Style long-columnar: stigma capitate. Drupe 

 equilateral. Spring. 



