120 FOREST TREES OF NORTH AMERICA. 



SASSAFRAS. 



Eastern Massachusetts, southwestern Vermont, and west through southern Ontario and central Michigan to 

 southeastern Iowa, eastern Kansas, and the Indian territory; south to Hernando county, Florida, and the valley 

 of the Brazos river, Texas. 



A tree 12 to 15 meters in height, with a trunk O.CO to 0.90 meter in diameter, exceptionally 24 to 27 meters 

 in height, with a trunk 1.80 to 2.25 meters in diameter, or toward its northern limits reduced to a small tree or 

 shrub; rich, sandy loam, reaching its greatest development in southwestern Arkansas and the Indian territory; 

 at the south often taking possession, witli the persimmon, of abandoned fields in the middle districts. 



Wood light, soft, not strong, brittle, coarse-grained, very durable in contact with the soil, slightly aromatic, 

 checking in drying; layers of annual growth clearly marked with three or four rows of large open ducts; medullary 

 rays numerous, thin ; color, dull orange-brown, the thin sap-wood light yellow; specific gravity, 0.5042 ; ash, 0.10; 

 used for light skiffs, ox yokes, etc., and largely for fence posts and rails, and in cooperage. 



The root, aud especially its bark, outers into commerce, affording a powerful aromatic stimulant; the oil of 

 sassafras, distilled from the root, is largely used in imparting a pleasant flavor to many articles of domestic use; 

 the pith of the young branches infused with water furnishes a mucilage used as a demulcent in febrile and 

 inflammatory affections (Sharpe in Am. Jour. Pharm. 1863, 53. Proctor in Proa. Am. Pharm. Aftsoc. 1866, 217. 

 U. 8. Dispensatory, 14 ed. 814. Nat. Dispensatory, 2 ed. 1274; Fluckiger & Hanbury, Pharmacographia, 483). 



" Gumbo filet," a powder prepared by the Choctaw Indians of Louisiana from the mucilaginous leaves, is used 

 at the south in the preparation of "gumbo" soup. 



218. Umbellularia Californica, Nuttall, 

 Sylva, i, 87; 2 ed. i, 102. Watson, Bot. California, ii, 61. 



Laurus regia, Douglas in Companion Bot. Mag. ii, 137. 



Oreodaphne Californica, Nees, Syst. Laurinarum, 463. Benthani, PI. Hartweg. 334; Bot. Sulphur, 49. Dietrich, Syn. ii, 

 1356. Hooker & Arnott, Bot. Beechey, 389. Torrey in Pacific E. R. Rep. iv, 133 ; v, 364 ; Mex. Boundary Survey, 184. 

 Newberry in Pacific R. R. Rep. vi, 24, 88, f. 3. Cooper in Smithsonian Rep. 1858, 260. Bot. Mag. t. 5320. 



Tetrantliera Californica, Hooker & Aruott, Bot. Beechey, 159. Meisner in De Candolle, Prodr. xv', 192. Torrey in Bot. 

 Wilkes Exped. 451. 



Drimophyllwm pauciftorum, Nuttall, Sylva, i, 85, t.22; 2ed.i,102, t.22. 



t 



MOUNTAIN LAUREL. CALIFORNIA LAUREL. SPICE TREE. CAGIPUT. CALIFORNIA OLIVE. CALIFORNIA BAY TREE. 



Rogue River valley, Oregon, south through the California coast ranges to San Diego county, and along the 

 western slopes of the Sierra Nevada to the San Bernardino mountains. 



An evergreen tree, 24 to 30 meters in height, with a trunk 1.20 to 1.80 meter in diameter, or toward its southern 

 limits and at high elevations a small tree or shrub ; most common and reaching its greatest development in the 

 rich valleys of southwestern Oregon. 



Wood heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, compact, susceptible of a beautiful polish, containing numerous small, 

 regularly-distributed, open ducts; medullary rays numerous, thin ; color, rich light brown, the sap-wood lighter; 

 specific gravity, 0.6517 ; ash, 0.39 ; used on the Oregon coast in ship-building, for jaws, bitts, cleats, cross-trees, etc.; 

 the most valuable material produced by the Pacific forests for interior and cabinet work. 



The leaves yield a volatile oil, Oreodaphne (Am. Jour. Pharm. xlvii, 105). 



ETJPHOKBIACE^. 



219. Drypetes crocea, Poiteau, 



Mem. Mus. i, 159, t. 8. Nuttall, Sylva, ii, 66, t. 63 ; 2 ed. ii, 12, t. 63. Cooper in Smithsonian Rep. 1858, 265. Chapman, Fl. S. States, 

 410. Grisebach, Fl. British West Indies, 32 ; Cat. PI. Cuba, 15. Miiller in De Candolle, Prodr. xv 3 , 455. 



Schcefferia lateriflora, Swartz, Fl. Ind. Occ. i, 329. 



D. sessiliflora, Baillon, Etucl. Gen. Euphorbiace, Atlas, 45, t. 24, f. 34-40. 

 D. glauca, Grisebach in Mem. Am. Acad. new ser. viii, 157 [not Vahl]. 

 D. crocea, var. Ivngipes, Miiller in Do Candolle, Prodr. xv a , 456. 



