Handbook of Trkks of the Xcjrthekn States a.\u Canada. 4:)ri 

 THE TULIP-TREES. (;i:nus LIRIODEXDROX L. 



Trees of twu species, one u( exli iisive (listributioii tluoujihuul the eastern states uf North 

 America niul the other in ccntial China. They are trees with deeply fun-cjwed brown l)ark 

 and fnrther characterized as follows: 



Lciu-ps incurved in the bud and bent down so that the apex points to the base of the 

 bud. alternate, deciduous, truncate, subcordate or somewhat wedge-shaped at base, truncate 

 or with a wide sinus at apex, with 4 pointed lobes (occasionally with '2 or (i lobes) ; stii)ule.'j 

 formed by the accrescent scales of the latei-ally compressed obtuse buds joined at the edges, 

 strap-shaped and tardily deciduous. J'luircr.s appearin.!>; after the unfolding of the leaves, 

 consi)icuous, cup-sliaped, somewiint fragrant : sepals three, spreading or refiexed. concave, 

 greenish white and tarly deciduous; petals C) in li rows, erect, falling early; stamens with 

 filaments about y., as long as the linear 2-celled extrorse anthers; pistils closely massed 

 together on the elongated receptacle; flattened, with wide style, stigmatic at the acuminate 

 recurved apex ; ovules 2, susi)ended from the vcuitral suture. Fruit a narrow erect light 

 brown cone, consisting of the flattened samara'-Iike indehiscent 4-ribbed carpels which sejiarate 

 from the axis when ripe; seeds usually 2, suspended in the small cavity at the base of the 

 samara ; embryo minute at the base of fieshy albumen. 



The name is from two (Jreek words meaning lilij or fulii) and tree. 

 For species see pj). 21'i-2l'). 



CTJSTARD-APPLE FAMILY. AXOXACE^. 



Trees and shrubs of about fifty genera and five hundred and fifty species, with generall.v 



aromatic properties and mainly of the tropical and subtropical regions of both the Old World 



and the New. Two .genera only are represented in Xoi-th America, one in .southern Florida 



and the A\'est Indies and the other in the eastern states. 



Liarvfi deciduous, alternate, entire, petiolate, pinnately-veined, conduplicate in the bud, 

 without stipules. Floircrs solitai-y. perfect and mostly axillary; sepals three, valvate in the 

 bud; petals six in two series; stamens numerous on an elevated rounded receptacle with very 

 short filaments and 2-celled introrse anthers adnate to the thick fleshy truncate connective ; 

 pistils few on the summit of the receptacle ; ovary 1-celled, containing from one to manj- 

 anatr()i>ous ovules. Fruit fleshy, baccate, formed by the ripening of the single or several 

 united i)istils ; seed inclosed in an aril, large, anatropous, with thin lustrous brown crustaceous 

 coat and minute embryo at the base of ruminate albumen. 



THE PAPAWS. Genus ASIMIXA Adanson. 



Small trees or shrubs emitting an unpleasant odor when bruised and confined to eastern 

 North America. Six or seven species are known, of which all are shrubby and confined to 

 the South Atlantic and (iulf states except one, which is a small tree entitled to consideration 

 here and the only representative of the Custard Apple Family extending far outside the tropics. 



Lcarcs membranaceous. Floucrs mostly from the axils of the leaves of the previous 

 season, nodding, pedunculate, of a purplish color and disagreeable odor ; sepals green, ovate, 

 smaller than the petals, concave and early deciduous ; petals six, imbricated in the bud, 

 accrescent, hypogenous prominently reticulated, the three outer petals alternate with the 

 seijals, sp'.eading and larger than the three inner which are opposite the sepals and erect ; 

 stamens closely massed together, anther-cells separate on the connective ; pistils few from 

 the summit of the receptacle, with styles slightly recurved and stigmatic on the inner side 

 above ; ovules several, horizontal, in two ranks on the ventral suture. Fruit baccate, oval 

 or oblong, smooth ; seeds comjiressed and with large hilum at base. 



The name Asimina is Latinized from the Indian name, asiiiiiii. of the Papaw. 

 For sprcirs xrr pp. 216-211. 



LAUREL FAMILY. EAURACE.E. 



Aromatic trees and shrubs of about fort.\- genera and nine hundrt'd species of wide 



distribution throughout the trojiical and a few in the temjierate zones. Six genera, of which 



two ar(> shi-ubb.v. are i-e|)i-(^s(>nt(Hl in North Anu'rica. one on the Pacific sloi)e and three in 



the Atlantic states. 



Leaves alteiMiate, simple, pellucid-punctate, usually thick, without stipules. Floirers 

 small, regular, yellowish green, jjcrfect, polygamous, dicrcious or monoecious, usually fragrant; 

 calyx 4-(!-parted, the .sepals imbricated in the bud in two series; corolla none; stamens 1(1-12. 

 ilistinct and inserted on the base of the calyx in threi> or four series of three each, those of 

 the fourth series st(>rile ; anthers 4-celled opening 1).\ uplifted valves; ovary superior, 1-celled, 



