536 LAURACEiE. [Perigynous Exogens. 



stamens. According to Nees von Esenbeck, their ovary is composed of three carpels ; 

 and, if so, they are as near Buckthorns as Daphnads ; but this opinion does not seem to 

 be supported by sufficient evidence ; on the contrary, the exterior of the ovary and its 

 interior cavity present all the appearance of simplicity, unless a trifling and occasional 

 lobing of the stigma be taken as proof of a compound structure. Nees v. Esenbeck, 

 however, describes the ovary as being really composed of 3 valvate carpellary leaves, 

 with marginal placentae. Berberids, another Order, with recurved anther-valves, 

 seem far removed by their polypetalous flowers, hypogynous stamens, and copious 

 albumen. 



Trees, inhabiting cool places in the tropics of either hemisphere ; in a very few 

 instances only, straggling to the northward in North America and Europe. On the 

 latter continent Laurus nobilis is the only species found in a wild state. Scarcely any 

 species are known to exist on the continent of Africa. This is the more remarkable, as 

 several species of Laurus have been found both in Teneriffe and Madeira, and others 

 exist in Madagascar, and in the Isles of France and Bourbon. 



The species of this extensive Order are in all cases more or less aromatic and fra- 

 grant ; some are valuable for their timber, others bear fruits that partake of the quality 

 of the Nutmeg, a certain number are useful febrifuges, and some yield a fixed as well as 

 volatile oil, and an abundance of camphor. Foremost among them are Cinnamon and 

 Cassia, two well-known spices brought to Europe from the hotter parts of Asia. Ac- 

 cording to Blume, the finest sort of Cinnamon is produced by the Cinnamomum zeyla- 

 nicum of Nees ; and Chinese Cassia-bark by Cinnamomum Cassia (C. aromaticum, 

 Nees). But Dr. Wight has ascertained that Cassia-bark is really produced by several 

 and perhaps nearly all the species of Cinnamomum. — Hooker's Journal, 2. 34'2. Culi- 

 lawan bark, a very valuable product, with a taste of Cloves, is yielded by Cinnamomum 

 Culilawan, and many more species of the same genus have been found to resemble 

 Cinnamons in their peculiar qualities, especially C. nitidum, which is said to have 

 furnished a part of the aromatic dried leaves once employed under the name of Folia 

 Malabathri, Tamalapathri or Indi. — See Blume's Rumphia,the works of Dierbach,Geiger, 

 Guibourt, and Pereira, and Endlicher's Enchiridion, for further information upon this 

 subject. Many others have the quality of Cinnamon, although belonging to different 

 genera. The Chmamon of Santa Fe' is produced by Nectandra cinnamomoides ; of the 

 Isle of France by Oreodaphue cupularis. The Clove Cassia of Brazil is the bark of 

 Dicypellium caryophyllatum, which Martius terms " Arbor omnium Laurinearum quas 

 Brasilia alit nobilissima." To these must be added Brazilian Sassafras (Nectandra 

 cymbarum), Bois de Rose (Licaria guianensis), and the Casca preciosa of the Portuguese 

 (Mespilodaphne pretiosa). 



Among the timber trees must be mentioned the celebrated Greenheart of Demerara, 

 whose wood is remarkable for its hardness, and which is the Nectandra Rodiaei of 

 Schomburgk ; the Siraballi of the same colony is a fragrant and valuable timber 

 obtained from some species allied to Oreodaplme. A coarse Mahogany is obtained in 

 Madeira from Persea indica, called Viriatico ; the Sweet-wood of Jamaica, a hard 

 yellow durable wood, belongs to Oreodaphue exaltata, and the Til of the Canaries, a 

 sort of timber with an atrocious odour, bears the name of Oreodaplme fcetens. 



Of those with aromatic fruits there are the Pichurim Beans of commerce, which 

 have been ascertained to be the cotyledons of Nectandra Puchury, and have the 

 flavour of Nutmegs of inferior quality ; the Camara, or Ackawai Nutmeg, produced 

 by Acrodiclidium Camara, Schomb., considered hi Guiana to be one of the most 

 efficacious remedies in colic, diarrhoea, and dysentery ; Cujumary Beans, from Ayden- 

 dron Cujumary, and Lam-el. The Clove Nutmegs of Madagascar are gathered from 

 Agathophyllum aromaticum, and Brazilian Nutmegs from Cryptoearya moschata. 



Among febrifuges the Bibiri or Beebeeru of Guiana, Nectandra Rodiaei, claims 

 a high rank : Dr. Maclagan has shown that sulphate of Beebeerim acts with rapid 

 and complete success in arresting ague. — Trans. R. S., Edinb., xv. The bark of 

 Caryodaphne densiflora is brownish, tonic, and contains a great quantity of bitter, 

 somewhat balsamic extractive matter ; the leaves are gratefully aromatic ; they are used 

 in infusion, like tea, against spasms of the bowels, and the convulsive affections of pregnant 

 women. Sassafras officinale, a large tree inhabiting the United States, has great 

 reputation as a powerful sudorific, and, combined with Guaiacum and Sarsaparilla, in 

 cutaneous affections, chronic rheumatism, and old syphilitic maladies. The dried 

 leaves contain so much mucilage that they are used in Louisiana for thickening soup, like 

 Hibiscus esculentus. The bark of the branches as well as the wood has been employed : 

 but they are inferior to the bark of the root. In Sumatra the place of this tree is 

 taken by another species, the Sassafras Parthenoxylon, called Oriental Sassafras. 

 Benzoin odoriferum is another plant with similar qualities. Its bark is highly aromatic, 

 stimulant and tonic ; and is given in decoction or powder in intermittents. An infusion 



