Devilwood 815 



The wood is hard, dense, close-grained and dark brown; its specific gravity is 

 about 0.81 ; it is very hard to split, on which account it has received its common 

 name. Its large evergreen leaves and profusion of fragrant small flowers make 

 it worthy of a place in the gardens of warm temperate regions. 



The tree of southern Florida has been supposed to differ specifically from that 

 of further north and has been described as Osmantkiis floridana Chapman; it is 

 said to have more hairy panicles and somewhat larger yellow-green fruit, but these 

 differences do not appear to be constant or definite. 



The genus comprises about 12 species, mostly evergreen trees and shrubs of 

 eastern Asia and the Pacific islands; only ours is known to occur naturally in the 

 western hemisphere; several are well knowTi as garden plants in warmer cUmates, 

 or in the conservator}' ; Osrnanlhus Aqui folium Siebold and Zuccarini, a holly-hke 

 shrub or tree with fragrant, autumnal flowers is frequently grovm in the Southern 

 States, and Osmanthus fragrans (Thunberg) Louriero, the type species and a 

 native of Japan, is a well-known greenhouse shrub, called Fragrant olive. 



The generic name is Greek, with reference to the fragrant flowers. 



