120 FOREST TREES OF NORTH AMERICA. 



SASSAPBAS. 



Eastern Maasachnsetts, 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. x- n oj * ot f^..,. 



A tree 12 to 15 meters in height, with a trunk O.GO to 0.90 meter ,n 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, with 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, 

 checkinff in drying; layers of annual growth clearly marked with three or lour 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 skills, ox yokes, etc., and largely lor fence posts and rails, and in cooperage. 



The root and especially its bark, enters into commerce, afibrding a powerful aromatic stimulant; the oil of 

 sassafras, distilled from the"root, is largely used in imparting u 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 fe^"le and 

 inflammatory affections (Sharpe in Am. Jour. Pharm. 1863, 53.-Proctor in Proc. Am Pharm. Ahboc. 18C6 217.- 

 U 8 Dispaisatory, 14 ed. SU.-Nat. Dispensatory, 2 ed. 1274; Fliickiger & Hanbiiry, Pharmacographxa, 483). 



Oumbo filetr a Po^der 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, NuttaU, 



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



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



OreodapJme Californica, Nees, Syet. Laurinamm, 463.-Bcntbani, Pl.Hart^eg. 3r!4; Bot. Sulphur, 49.-Dietrich. Syn. U, 

 1356.-Hooker & Arnott, Bot. Beechey, 389.-ToiTey in Pacific R. K. Rep. iv, 13.-5 ; v, 364 ; Mex^Bound^ Survey, 184.- 

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



Tetranthera Californica, Hooker & Arnott, Bot. Beechey, 159.-Meisner in De Candolle, Prodr. xV, 192.-Torrey in Bot 

 Wilkes Exped. 451. 



Brimophyllum pauciflorum, NuttaU, Sylva, i, 85, t.22; 2ed.i,102,t.22. 



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



Kogue 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 shipbuilding, 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). ^ 



E U P H R B I A E iE 



219. Drypetes crocea, Poiteau, 



M6m.Mn8.i,ir>9, t. 8.-Nuttall, Sylva, ii, 66, t.&3; 2 ed.ii,12, t. C3.-Cooper in Smithsonian Rep. 1858, 265.-Chapman, FL S. States, 

 410.-Grieeboch, Fl. British West Indies, 32; Cat. PI. Cuba, 15.-MUller in De CandoUe, Prodr. xv, 45o. 



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



D. nessiliflora, Baillou, Etml.Gcn. Euphorbiacca), Atlas, 45, t. 24, f. 34-40. 



D. glauca, Giiscbiicli iu Mom. Am. Acad, new sor. viii, 157 [uot Vahl]. 



D. crocea, var. longipes, MUller in De Candolle, Prodr. xv, 456. 



