(LAUREL FAMILY.) 379 



duced to a sort of glands : the rest bearing 4-celled anthers (i. e. each of the two 

 proper cells is divided transversely into two), opening by as many uplifted 

 valves ; the anthers of 3 stamens turned outward, the others introrse. Trees, 

 with persistent entire leaves and small panicled flowers. (An ancient name of 

 some Oriental tree.) 



1. P. CarolinensiS, Nees. (RED BAT.) Hoary at least when young 

 with a fine down ; leaves oblong, pale, soon becoming smooth above ; peduncle 

 bearing few flowers in a close cluster ; sepals downy, the outer shorter ; berries 

 dark blue, on a red stalk. (Laurus Carolinensis, Catesb. L. Borbonia, L.) 

 Swamps, Delaware, Virginia, and southward. May. A small tree. 



2. SASSAFRAS, Nees. SASSAFRAS. 



Flowers dioecious, with a 6-parted spreading calyx ; the sterile kind with 9 

 stamens inserted on the base of the calyx in 3 rows, the 3 inner with a pair of 

 stalked glands at the base of each ; anthers 4-celled, 4-valved : fertile flowers 

 with 6 short rudiments of stamens and an ovoid ovary. Drupe ovoid (blue), 

 supported on a club-shaped and rather fleshy (reddish) pedicel. Trees, with 

 spicy-aromatic bark, very mucilaginous twigs and foliage; the latter decidu- 

 ous, often lobed. Flowers greenish-yellow, naked, in clustered and peduncled 

 corymbed racemes, appearing with the leaves. Buds scaly. (The popular name, 

 of Spanish origin.) 



1. S. officiiiule, Nees. Leaves ovate, entire, or some of them 3-lobed, 

 soon glabrous. (Laurus Sassafras, L.) Rich woods; common, especially 

 eastward. April. Tree 1 5 - 50 high, with yellowish-green twigs. 



3. BENZOIN, Nees. WILD ALLSPICE. FEVER-BUSH. 



Flowers polygamous-dioecious, with a 6-parted open calyx ; the sterile kind 

 with 9 stamens in 3 rows, the inner ones 1 - 2-lobed and gland-bearing at the 

 base; anthers 2-celled and 2-valved : fertile flowers with 15-18 rudiments of 

 stamens in 2 forms, and a globular ovary. Drupe obovoid, red, the stalk not 

 thickened. Shrubs, with entire deciduous leaves, and honey-yellow-flowers in 

 almost sessile lateral umbel-like clusters appearing before the leaves ; the clus- 

 ters composed of smaller clusters or umbels, each of 4 - 6 flowers and surround- 

 ed by an involucre of 4 deciduous scales. (Named from the aroma, which has 

 been likened to that of benzoin.) 



1. B. otloriferiini, Nees. (SPICE-BUSH. BENJAMIN-BUSH.) Nearly 

 smooth; leaves oblong-obovate, pale underneath. (Laurus Benzoin, L.) Damp 

 woods ; rather common. March, April. 



2. B. melissac folium, Nees. Young branches and buds pubescent; 

 leaves oblong, obtuse or heart-sJiaped at the base, downy beneath ; umbels few. 

 (Lauras melissafolia, Walt. L. diospyroides, Michx.) Low grounds, Vir 

 gin ia and southward. April. 



4. TET RANT HERA, Jacq. TETRANTHEBA. 



Flowers dioecious, with a 6-parted deciduous calyx ; the sterile ones with 9 

 stamens in 3 rows ; the anthers all introrse, 4 celled, 4-valved : fertile flowers 



