422 LAURACK.E. (LAUREL FAMILY.) 



5. BRUNNICHIA, Banks. Bruxnichia. 



Calvx 5-partcd ; the divisions somewhat petal-like, oblong, connivcnt and 

 coriaceous in fruit. Stamens 8 : filaments capillary : styles 3, slender : stigmas 

 depressed-capitate. Ovule hanging- on the summit of a slender erect funiculus : 

 the seed erect, 6-grooved. Embryo in one of the angles of the mealy all)umcn, 

 somewhat curved. Achenium ol)tuscly triangular, partly 3-celled, enclosed in 

 the indurated calyx, its base and almost the whole length of the pedicel wingeil 

 on one side. (Named for F. Bninnuh, a Danish naturalist.) * 



1. B. cirrhosa, Banks. — A somewhat shrubby smooth jilant, with grooved 

 stems, climbing by tendrils extended from the ends of the branches. Leaves 

 ovate or heart-shaped, jiointed, entire : petioles dilated at base and partly elas])- 

 ing; but no distinct sheath or stipules. Flowers greenish, 2-5 in a fascicle 

 from the axil of an awl-shaped bract, these crowded in axillary and terminal 

 racemes : pedicel jointed near the base. Fruiting calyx with the wing 1' long. 

 — Pulaski Co., S. W. Illinois, Dr. F. Brendd : also soutliwui-d. 



Order 88. L,AURACEiE. (Laurel Family.) 



Aromatic trees or shrubs, icitli alternate simple leaves mostly marked tdth 

 minute pellucid dots, andjloicers with a regular calyx of A or G colored sepals, 

 imbricated in 2 rows in the bud, free from the 1-celled and 1-omded ocary, 

 and mostly feicer than the stamens; anthers opening by 2 or A uplifted 

 valces. — Flowers clustered. Style single. Fruit a 1-seeded berry or 

 drupe. Seed anatropous, suspended, with no albumen, filled by the large 

 almond-like embryo. — A well-marked family, very numerous in the trop- 

 ies, represented in our district by only five species, in four genera. 



* Flowers perfect, paniclcd : stamens 12, three of them sterile. 



1. Persea. Calyx persistent. Anthers 4-celled, those of three stamens turned outwrard. 



« ♦ Flowers dioecious, or nearly so : stamens in the male flowers 9. 



2. Sassafras. Flowers in corymb- or umhellike racemes Anthers 4-celled, 4-vaIved. 



3. LiiKlera. Flowers in umbel-like clusters. Anthers 2-celled, 2- valved. 



4. Teti-aiitliera. Flowers few in involucrate umbels. Anthers 4-celled, 4-valved. 



1. PERSEA, Gffirtn. Alligator Pear. 



Flowers perfect, with a 6-parted calyx, which persists at the base of the berry- 

 like fruit. Stamens 12, in four rows, the 3 of the innermost row sterile and re- 

 duced to a sort of glands: the rest bearing 4-celled anthers (i. e. each of the 

 two proper cells is divided transversely into two), opening by as many uplifted 

 valves; the anthers of 3 stamens turned outward, the others introrse. — Trees, 

 with persistent entire leaves, and small paniclcd flowers. (An ancient name of 

 some Oriental tree.) 



1. P. Carolinensis, Nees. (Red Bay.) Hoary at least when young 

 with a tine down ; leaves oblong, pale, soon becoming smooth above ; peduncle 

 bearing few flowers in a close cluster ; sepals downy, the outer shorter ; berries 

 dark blue, on a red stalk. (Laurus Carolinensis, Catesb. L. Borbonia, i.J — 

 Swamps, Delaware, Virginia, and southward. June. — A small tree. 



