360 VARIOUS PLANT GROUPS 



a leaf, petal, or slice of pith against the light, when they ap- 

 pear as translucent, scattered clots. This oil it is which 

 renders the flowers of the family fragrant, and gives its flavor 

 to the fruit of star-anise. Scarcely a trace of such odors are 

 to be found in the crowfoot family. 



We may therefore define the magnolia family as woody 

 plants having fragrant, solitary, regular flowers, more or less 

 like those of the crowfoot family, but with minute reservoirs 

 of volatile oil in various parts. 



107. The laurel family (Lauraceae) consists also of woody 

 plants with oil reservoirs similar to those of the magnolia 

 family. This aromatic oil gives to sassafras (Sassafras 

 officinale, page 168) and to cinnamon and camphor (Cinna- 

 momum, pages 135, 178), as we have seen, their chief economic 

 value. Between these and our examples of the magnolia and 

 crowfoot families may also be found many other similarities, 

 either in habit, form of leaves, or floral structure. 



The morphology of the gj^noecium in the laurel family is 

 somewhat doubtful. Apparently there is only a single carpel, 

 much as in the baneberry, but in sassafras the three-lobed 

 stigma may be evidence of three carpels which coalesce so 

 completely as to form a one-celled, one-styled pistil. A 

 further peculiarity of sassafras is that the flowers are all 

 imperfect and that the two kinds are alwaj^s on distinct 

 plants. The term dicedous ' is applied to this condition. 



A striking feature found throughout the family is the dehiscence 

 of the anthers by upUfted valves. This is indicated in the formulas 

 by FA^. Another general peculiarity is that the concave torus 

 often becomes fleshy and cup-like in fruit — a condition indicated 

 by T^T!. The sign ~ meaning "or otherwise" when there are 

 noteworthy exceptions, is also introduced in the formulas of this 

 family, and ? is used to indicate doubt. 



See pages 406, 407 for formulas of Sassafras and Cinnamomum 

 and, derived from them (neglecting exceptions) a typical formula 

 for the family. 



Woody plants with minute reservoirs of oil, and regular 

 flowers more or less like those of the croufoot family hut having 

 the perianth and androecium mostly perigynous and the anthers 



1 Di-ce'ci-ous < Gr. c/ is, two; oilos, household; symbolized by cf : 9. 



