206 SPICES 



CHAP. 



stout trunk, much branched low down, about 1 or 2 ft. 

 through, with thick grey bark. The whole tree is very 

 bushy, with strong branches forming a fairly compact 

 and large head. The form and size of the leaves is 

 varied. In some cases rounded ovate and quite obtuse, 

 in others ovate-lanceolate to obtuse; the base is rounded, 

 the apex more or less acuminate, but blunt. In the 

 round-leaved form the apex is often quite rounded and 

 not at all acuminate. In texture and colour they are 

 firm, coriaceous, deep green, paler beneath, rather brittle. 

 They have three or five conspicuous nerves joined at 

 the base of the leaf, and running to the tip, paler green 

 or almost yellow. The length of the leaves varies from 

 3 to 7 in., the width from 2 to 4 in. The petiole is 

 i to 1 in. long. The flowers are borne in lax panicles 

 on long peduncles from the upper axils of the branches, 

 or from the ends of the branches, on long pubescent 

 peduncles 2 or 3 in. long. The branches of the panicles 

 are ^ in. in length, lengthening in fruit. The flowers are 

 small and yellow, J in. long. The perianth tube 

 is campanulate ; the segments, six in number, oblong 

 lanceolate acute, pubescent. Stamens, nine complete, 

 the outer six opposite the six perianth lobes. They 

 have a hairy filament and a four-celled anther (the 

 cells opening by valves), and a pair of glands at the 

 base. There are three staminodes, or barren stamens. 

 The ovary is superior, one-celled, and one-ovuled. The 

 fruit is ovoid, a black fleshy drupe, with the enlarged 

 perianth lobes at the base forming a cup. 



V HISTORY 



Cinnamon seems to have been one of the earliest 

 known spices, but it appears to be doubtful whether 

 the spice mentioned in the earlier writings was cinnamon 

 or cassia bark (Cinnamomum cassia). This latter was 

 undoubtedly imported into Arabia in very early days 

 from China, whence there was an extensive commercial 

 intercourse from the earliest historic times. Both 



