286 WEEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS. * 



Stem 15-40 or 50 foot high, and 6-12 inches (in some rare instances, near 2 feet) in 

 diameter, branching, the young branches yellowish and pubescent. Leaves 3-5 inches 

 long, and 2-4 inches wide, silky -pubescent when young, finally smooth ; petioles halt' an 

 inch to an inch long. Flowers from the same buds, and contemporaneous with the leaves. 

 Sepals oblong, rather obtuse, pale, greenish-yellow. Berries ovoid-oblong. 



Woodlands ; fence-rows and old fields : Canada to Florida. Fl. April. Fr. September. 



Obs. The bark of this well-known small tree is a powerful, yet pleas- 

 ant, aromatic stimulant, and possesses valuable medicinal properties ; 

 which acquired for it, at an early day. in Europe, an exaggerated repu- 

 tation. An infusion of the roots, or bark of the roots, makes an excel- 

 lent diet drink. The pith of the young branches contains much mucilage, 

 and is used to make a wash tor inflamed eyes. We learn, also, from 

 MICHAUX'S Sylva, that bed steads made of the wood " are never infested 

 with insects ; " which circumstance to adopt the language of the 

 Gazettes is certainly " important, if true," and well worthy of notice. 



2. BENZO'IN, Nees. FEVER-BUSH. 



[A name said to be derived from the Arabic, expressive of perfume.'] 



Flowers polygamo-direcious. Sepals 6, connected at base. STAM. FL. 

 Stamens 9, in three series, the innermost lobed at the summit, and 

 gland-bearing at the base ; anthers 2-celled. PISTILLATE FL., with 

 15-18 alternating filiform and spatulate rudiments of stamens. Drupe 

 oval ; peduncle not clavate. Shrubs with yellow flowers in small lateral 

 fascicles (which are surrounded by a deciduous involucre), appearing be- 

 fore the leaves. 



1. B. odorif'erum, Nees. Leaves obovate-oblong, mostly acute, often 



cuneate at base ; drupe red, or finally dark purple. 



ODORIFEROUS BENZOIN. Spice-wood. Wild Allspice. Fever-bush. 



Stem 6 - 8 or 10 feet high ; branches virgate, brittle. Leaves 2-4 inches long, mostly 

 acnte or with a short acumination (sometimes obtuse and rounded at apex) ; petioles 

 about half an inch long. Flowers in involucrate clusters of 3-5 from a bud, on pedicels 

 I - 2 lines long < flower-buds distinct from the leaf-buds, usually a flower-bud on each 

 side of the leaf-bud. Sepals greenish-yellow, obovate-oblong, obtuse. 



Moist rich low grounds ; borders of thickets, &c. Canada to Florida. Fl. April. Fr. 

 September. 



Obs. This is a strongly aromatic shrub. In early times before Phy- 

 sicians were so numerous a infusion of the brittle spicy twigs was 

 much used as a popular remedy, and even as a preventive, of the fevers 

 which attacked the first settlers ; but it is now chiefly prescribed as a 

 diet-drink for sickly cows, in the spring of the year. 



ORDER LXII. LOKANTHA'CE^E. (MISTLETOE FAMILY.) 



Shrubby plants parasitic on trees, having mostly opposite entire thick leaves without stipules 

 and monoecious or dioecious flmvers in short catkin-like jointed spikes. Calyx-tube (of the 

 fertile flowers) adherent to the ovary ; bonier obsolete or 3-4-toothed. Stamens sis many 

 as the calyx-lobes. Fruit a 1-seeded berry. Emhryo small in mucilagir.ous albumen. 

 Chiefly tropical plants. The Mistletoe of Europe is Viscnm album. 



