436 Laurace.e. Hama]mp:ijdace.e. 



containing a single anatropous ovule suspended from the apex of the veil : stigma discoid or 

 capitate. Fruit a one seeded drupe or berry ; seed with thin testa, erect embryo and radical 

 between the thick fleshy cotyledons. 



KEY TO THE GENERA. 



Leaves persistent, coriaceous, entire: flowers perfect: calyx-lobes persistent.... Persea. 

 Leaves deciduous, rather thin, entire or 1-3-lobed : flowers dioecious Sassafras. 



THE BAYS. Genus PERSEA Gmrt^. f. 



About fifty species are recognized of this genus, all excepting one natives of the western 

 hemisphere. Three are species of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast regions, two ranging north- 

 ward into Virginia. 



Lravc.i persistent, rigid, coriaceous, pinnately-veined, revolute in the bud. Floircrs 

 perfect, appearing in spring in two or three-flowered pedunculate cymes, corymbs or panicles 

 from the axils of the leaves of the year, with two bracted pedicels : calyx carapanulate, per- 

 sistent, those of the outer series shortest: stamens 12, about as long as the inner sepal-, those 

 of the innermost series sterile and gland-like, and in our sincics tln' anthers of the third 

 series extrorse and those of the others introrse : ovary sul)L;ii)liiisr. -I.iIikhis. tevminat ng in a 

 slender club-shaped style with discoid terminal stigma. Fniil a suli-lnhdsc or oblong drupe 

 subtended by the enlarged persistent calyx and with thin flesh ; seed glubose, pendulous, with 

 testa separable into two coats. 



Persea is the classical name of some oriental tree. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Branchlets and petioles tomentose ; peduncles mostly elongated P. pubescens 



Branchlets and petioles glabrous or nearly so: peduncles mostly short P. Borbonia. 



For species sec pp. 218-2,21. 



THE SASSAFRAS. Genus SASSAFRAS Nees and Eberm. 



Trees with pleasant aromatic properties, deeply furrowed bark and smooth green 

 mucilaginous twigs. They are natives of eastern North America and China, those of the 

 latter region, so far as now understood, being indistinguishable from the American species. 



Leaves deciduous, membranaceous, involute in the bud, ovate to oblong and entire or 

 with an oblique lobe on one or both sides, conspicuously reticulate-veined, cuneate at base, 

 with arcuate veins, pilose at first but finally glabrous dark green with veins depressed above, 

 Ealer beneath, mucilaginous. Floircrs appearing with the leaves at the ends of the branchlets, 

 pedunculate, in pilose clustered racemes, from the axils of the inner accrescent bud scales, 

 with slender pedicels from the axils of deciduous bracts : calyx with G subequal spreading 

 lobes, yellowish green : stamens 9, with elongated bright yellow filaments, those of the inner 

 series bearing near their base each 2 orange-colored stalked glands : anthers oblong, orange- 

 colored, introrse, those of the pistillate flowers small and usually sterile : ovary ovoid, green, 

 glabrous, with long style and capitate stigma. Fruit a globose oblong lustrous dark blue 

 di-upe subtended by the red obscurely lobed calyx and enlarged end of the pedicel and having 

 thin flesh with smooth brown oblong pointed seeds. 



The name is said to be that used by the early French settlers in Florida. 



For species see pp. 222-223. 



WITCH HAZEL FAMILY. HAMAMELIDACE.E. 



The Witch-Hazel family consists of trees and shrubs of about eighteen genera and 



thirty-five species of eastern North America, Asia, Madagascar and South Africa. Three of 



the genera, two of which are arborescent, are represented in North America. 



Leares simple, deciduous, alternate, petiolate, with stipules. Floircrs perfect or unisexual : 

 calyx 4-lobed and with tube coherent to the ovary or none : petals 4 and perygenous or none ; 

 stamens 4 or 8 or numerous with 2-celled introrse anthers : ovary compound formed by the 

 union below of 2 carpels, 2-celled and with 2 subulate styles : ovules 1 or many, anatropous 

 and suspended from an axile placenta. Fruit a woody 2-beaked capsule dehiscent at the 

 summit : seeds 1 or several with large straight embryo and scant albumen. 



KEY TO THE GENERA. 



Leaves pinnately veined : flowers perfect : fruit a 2-cellpd capsule Hamamelis* 



Leaves palmately lobed : flowers unisexual ; fruit a globular head of consolidated caiisnU's. 



Liquidambar. 



