ORDER XCVIII. LAURACE^E LAUREL-TRIBE. ORDER CIII. ULMACE^E ELM-TRIBE. 



193 



Inst, more common in the Northern districts. The lower leaves are often a 

 foot long, and 3' 4' broad. July. 



1 1 Leaves more or less cordate at base. 



3. R. obtusifulius. 



Broad-leaved Dock. 



Stem erect, stout, somewhat rough, branching; lower leaves ovate, obtuse, 

 cordate at base, waved and crenate on the margin, slightly hairy on the veins 

 beneath ; upper ones oblong-lanceolate, acute ; flowers in loose, distant whorls, 

 forming long, nearly naked racemes ; valves sharply toothed at base, usually 

 only one of them bearing a granule. A common and troublesome weed in 

 waste and cultivated grounds. The root leaves are very large, often with red 

 veins and stalks. Stem 2 4 ft. high. July. 



4. R. crispus. 



Yellow Dock. 



Smooth ; stem erect, branching ; leaves lanceolate, acute, strongly waved on 

 the margin ; lower ones rounded or cordate at base ; flowers in numerous 

 whorls, arranged in crowded racemes, interrupted below, leafless above, forming 

 a large, terminal panicle; valves broad-cordate, nearly entire at base, all usually 

 bearing granules. Boot yellow, spindle-shaped. A troublesome weed in culti- 

 vated grounds. Stein 2 3 ft. high. June July. Per. 



* * Flowers dioecious. Inner sepals without granules. 



5. R. acetosella. 



Sheep Sorrel. 



Stem erect, leafy, branching ; leaves lanceolate-hastate ; upper ones lanceo- 

 iate; all entire, petiolate, very acid to the taste; flowers small, greenish at first, 

 but soon tinged with a dull red, in slender, leafless racemes, forming a terminal 

 panicle ; anthers of the barren flowers yellow ; valves ovate. A common weed, 

 3' 8' high, in dry, sandy soils. Its acid leaves are well known. May Oct. 

 Per. 



ORDER XCVIII. Lauracese. Laurel-tribe. 



1. SASSAFRAS. 



Flowers dioecious. Calyx spreading, colored, 6-parted. Bar- 

 ren flowers with 9 stamens, in 3 rows ; inner row with a pair of 

 pedicellate glands at base of each stamen. Anthers opening by 

 4 valves. Fertile flowers with 6 short, rudimentary stamens. 

 Style filiform. Ovary ovoid, 1-seeded. Trees. 



1. S. officinale. 



Sassafras. 



Leaves ovate, entire, or 3-lobed, and tapering at base, alternate, petiolate, 

 mucilaginous, as also the young shoots, covered when young, as also the buds, 

 with a soft, silky down ; flowers greenish-yellow, in pedunculate clusters, ap- 

 pearing before the leaves ; drupes dark blue, on a red stalk. A common, small 

 tree, 20 40 ft. high, distinguished by the spicy flavor of its inner bark, espe- 

 cially that of the root. Woodlands. April May. 



2. BENZdlN. 



Flowers diceciously polygamous. Calyx 6-parted, open. 

 Sterile flowers with 9 stamens in 3 rows ; the 3 inner ones with 

 a pair of opposite, pedicellate glands at base. Anthers 2-celled, 

 2-valved. Fertile flowers with 15 18 rudimentary stamens. 

 Ovary globular. Drupe obovoid, 1-seeded. 



1. B. odoriferum. Spice-bush. 



Leaves oblong-obovate, entire, sessile, wedge-shaped at base, thin, paler 

 6eneath, nearly smooth ; flowers greenish-yellow, in compound, nearly sessile 

 clusters, appearing before the leaves ; pedicels scarcely as long as the flowers ; 

 calyx-teeth oblong; berries red. A shrub, 512 ft. high, in moist woods. 

 The bark of the young branches has a pleasant aromatic flavor, resembling 

 that of gum Benzoin. April. 



ORDER XCIX. Thymelacese. Mezereum- 

 famify. 



1. DlRCA. 



Calyx petaloid, tubular, truncate ; margin waved, or obscure- 

 ly 4-lobed. Stamens 8, long and slender, inserted in the calyx- 

 tube, much exsert ; alternate ones longer. Style filiform. Stig- 

 ma capitate. Drupe oval, 1-seeded. 



25 



1. D. paldstris. 



Leather-wood. 



Shrubby; stem very branching; leaves oblong-obovate or obovate. entire, 

 alternate, on short petioles, paler beneath ; flowers appearing before the leaves, 

 pale yellow, rather small, funnel-form, 2 3 together, projecting from an invo- 

 lucre consisting of large, brownish, hairy scales; berry oval, small, reddish. A 

 low shrub of irregular, straggling growth, 36 ft. high ; most common in 

 Northern N. Eng. and N. York, distinguished by the yellow flowers appearing 

 long before the leaves, and its extremely tough, grayish bark. April May. 



2. DAPHNE. 



Calyx 4-cleft, withering; limb spreading. Stamens 8, in- 

 cluded in the calyx-tube. Style 1. Drupe 1-seeded. Shrubs. 



1. D. Mezereum. 



Mezereum. 



Leaves deciduous, lanceolate, entire, sessile, in terminal tufts ; flowers ses- 

 sile, in clusters of 3 4, proceeding from the lateral buds; calyx salver-form, 

 with ovate, spreading segments; stamens inserted in 2 rows near the top of the 

 tube, with short filaments; stigma sessile. A very beautiful exotic shrub, 

 whose pink flowers appear in great profusion as early as March. The bark, 

 and other parts, are extremely acrid. Stem 1 3 ft high. 



2. D. Laureola. 



Spurge Laurel. 



Leaves evergreen, lanceolate, smooth, acute, entire, nearly sessile ; flowers 

 in clusters of about 5, proceeding from the lateral buds, greenish-yellow, fra- 

 grant A handsome species, 4 5 ft. high, with fragrant flowers, and elegant, 

 evergreen foliage. March April. 



ORDER CI. Santa! acese. Sandal-wood- 

 family. 



1. COMANDRA. 



Flowers perfect. Calyx somewhat urceolate ; limb 4 5-part- 

 ed, with an adherent, 5-lobed disk. Stamens 45, opposite the 

 caljrx-lobes, inserted on the disk alternately with its lobes. 

 Fruit dry, 1-seeded, crowned with the persistent calyx-lobes. 



1. C. umbellata. 



False Toad-flax. 



Very smooth ; stem erect slender, branching above ; leaves oblong or ob- 

 long-obovate, entire, alternate ; flowers small, greenish-white, in small clustered 

 umbels of 3 5, forming a kind of terminal corymb, each cluster with 4 decidu- 

 ous bracts; anthers connected with the opposite calyx-lobes by several yellow 

 threads. A low, smooth herb, 6' 12' high ; common in dry and rocky grounds. 

 June. Per. . 



2. NYSSA. 



Flowers dioacious-polygamous. Barren flowers calyx 5- 

 parted ; stamens 5 10, inserted on a glandular disk. Perfect, 

 or fertile flowers calyx 5-parted ; tube adherent to the ovary ; 

 stamens 5, perfect or rudimentary; fruit an oval, berry-like 

 drupe. Nut 1-seeded. Trees. 



1. N. multiflora. Gum-tree. 



Leaves oval or obovate, acute at both ends, entire, hairy on the petiole and 

 mid-vein, of a thick and firm consistence, and a deep and shining green ; flow- 

 ers greenish, small, in 3 6-flowered clusters, on long, branching peduncles; 

 fertile peduncles mostly 3-flowered ; drupes oval, deep blue. A common tree 

 of middling size, growing in swamps and low grounds, distinguished by the 

 thick, shining leaves and horizontal branches. The wood is tough and white 

 and almost impossible to split June. 



ORDER CIII. Ulmaceae. Elm-tribe. 



1. tTLMUS. 



Flowers perfect, rarely polygamous. Calyx campanulate, 4 

 9-cleft. Stamens 4 9. Filaments filiform. Styles 2. Ovariea 

 flat, compressed. Fruit a flat samara with a winged margin, by 

 abortion 1-celled, 1-seeded. Trees. 



1. U. Americana. 



Elm. 



Young branches nearly smooth ; leaves oblong-obovate, acuminate, doubly 

 serrate, smooth above, pubescent beneath, oblique, rounded or cordate at basa 



