LAURACEAE. 1 



[VOL. II, 



4. BENZOIN Fabric. Emim. PL Hort. Helmst. 1763. 



Shrubs (some Asiatic species trees), with alternate entire pinnately veined and in our 

 species deciduous leaves, and dioecious or polygamous yellow flowers, in lateral sessile invo- 

 lucrate clusters unfolding before the leaves, the involucre of 4 deciduous scales. Calyx- 

 segments 6, equal, deciduous. Staminate flowers with 3 series of 3 stamens, the filaments 

 of the inner series lobed and gland-bearing at the base, those of the 2 outer series glandless; 

 anthers all introrse, 2-celled, 2-valved. Pistillate flowers with 12-15 staminodia and a glo- 

 bose ovary. Fruit an obovoid or oblong red drupe. [Named from the Benzoin gum, from 

 its similar fragrance.] 



About 7 species, of eastern North America and Asia. Only the following are North American. 

 Shrub glabrous or nearly so throughout; leaves narrowed at the base. i. B. Benzoin. 



Twigs and lower surfaces of the leaves pubescent; leaves rounded or subcordate at the base. 



2. B, melissaefolium. 



I. Benzoin Benzoin (L,.) Coulter. Spice-bush. Benjamin-bush. (Fig. 1656.) 



Laurus Benzoin L. Sp. PI. 370. 1753. 



Lindera Benzoin Blume, Mus. Bot. I.ugd. x: 324. 



1857- 

 B. Benzoin Coulter, Mem. Torr. Club, 5: 164. 1894. 



A glabrous or nearly glabrous shrub, 4-2o 

 high, with smooth bark and slender twigs. 

 Leaves obovate oval or elliptic, z'-s' long, i'- 

 2)4' wide, acute, short-acuminate or some of 

 them rounded at the apex, narrowed at the base, 

 pale beneath; petioles 3 // -6 // long; flowers about 

 i%" broad, bright yellow, fragrant; pedicels 

 about equalling the calyx-segments; anthers 

 oval, minutely emarginate at the summit; ovary 

 about as long as the style; drupe 4 // -5 // long, 

 about 3" in diameter. 



In moist woods, thickets and along streams, 

 Massachusetts to Ontario and Michigan, south to 

 North Carolina, Tennessee and Kansas. March- 

 May. Fruit ripe Aug.-Sept. Ascends to 2500 ft. in 

 Virginia. Called also Feverbush and Wild Allspice. 

 Leaves of young shoots much larger. 



2. Benzoin melissaefolium (Walt.) Nees. 

 Hairy Spice-bush. (Fig. 1657.) 



Laurus melissaefolia Walt. Fl. Car. 134. 1788. 

 Lindera melissaefolia Blume, Mus. Bot. Lugd. x: 



324. 1857. 

 Benzoin melissaefolium Nees, Syst. 494. 1836. 



A shrub similar to the preceding species but 

 the young twigs, buds and lower surfaces of the 

 leaves densely pubescent. Leaves ovate-lanceo- 

 late or oblong, acute or acuminate at the apex, 

 rounded or subcordate at the base, 2 / -4 / long, 

 9 // -i8 // wide; petioles \ rf -^" long; pedicels 

 equalling or slightly longer than the calyx-seg- 

 ments; anthers truncate at the summit; drupe 

 3"-5" high. 



In swamps and wet soil, Illinois and Missouri to 

 North Carolina, south to Alabama and Florida. 

 Feb.-March. 



Family 31. PAPAVERACEAE B. Juss. Hort. Trian. 1759. 



POPPY FAMILY. 



Herbs, with milky or colored sap, and alternate leaves or the upper rarely op- 

 posite. Stipules none. Flowers solitary or in clusters, perfect, regular or irregu- 

 lar. Sepals 2 (rarely 3 or 4), caducous. Petals 4-6 or rarely more, imbricated, 

 often wrinkled, deciduous. Stamens numerous or few, hypogynous, distinct; 

 filaments filiform; anthers longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary i, many-ovuled, 

 mainly i -celled; style short; stigma simple or divided; ovules anatropous. 

 Fruit a capsule, generally dehiscent by a pore, or by valves, rarely indehiscent. 



