LAUItACEJS. 



439 



pair of lateral glands. 1 The gynseceum, rudimentary in the male 

 flower, is otherwise similar to that of Lauracea generally. The style 

 is dilated into a terminal stigma, often divided into two or three 

 lobes. The fruit is a berry, surrounded at the base by a cup with 

 entire or six-toothed edges. As many as fifteen species 2 of this genus 

 have been described, trees or shrubs from Japan, tropical Asia, and 

 North America. The leaves are alternate caducous, often not de- 

 veloped till after the flowers. These are arranged as in the preceding 

 genera in a sort of umbel surrounded by an involucre of five imbri- 

 cated bracts. 



The true Laurels 3 (Fr., La/triers) now comprise but two species. 

 The better known is the Classic Laurel {La// tier d'Jpollon ; figs. 

 261-263). It has dioecious or polygamous flowers, with a perianth 



Laums noh'dis. 





^ 



G^> 



& 



Fig. 262. 

 Fruit (f). 



Fig. 261. 

 Male flower, diagram. 



Fig. 263. 

 Long, section of fruit. 



of four petaloid caducous leaves. 4 In the male and hermaphrodite 

 flowers are from eight to twelve stamens, all possessing a free fila- 

 ment and an introrse two-celled anther, whose cells open by the rising 

 of a valve. The innermost, from four to eight in number, have two 

 lateral glands. 5 In the female flowers there are usually only four 



1 This is exceptionally the case with the six — Lame., Hid., iii. 440, Suppl., in. ; III., t. 321. 

 innermost. — Nees, in Wall. PI. Asiat. Rar., ii. (il ; Syst., 



2 Wait., Carol., i. 134 (Lanrus).— Steb. & 502, 579. — Ekdi., Gen., n. 2061. — Meissn., 

 Zucc, in Abh. Munch. Acad., iv. p. iii. 205. — Prodr., 233, 258, 51(1. 



I'.l., Mus. Lugd.-Bat., i. 324.— Sieb., Fl, Mean., 

 in Ferh. Bat. Gen., xii. 23 (Sassafras). 



3 Laurus T., Inst., 507, I. 367 (nee Buem.). 

 — Adans., Fam. des PL, ii. 433 (part). .).. 

 Gen., 80 (part.). — GjEHTN., Find., ii. 68, t. 02. 



4 In cultivated plants, the number of parts to 

 the whorl varies considerably (from two or three 

 to seven or eight). 



•' We have often found the following arrange- 

 ment of parts in the male flower : n perianth of 



