440 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



stamens at the most, sterile and alternating with the perianth-leaves ; 

 the gynaeceum, sterile and undeveloped in the male flower, is here 

 formed as in most Lauracece, and contains a descending anatropons 

 ovule 1 with its micropyle applied to the placenta. The fruit (figs. 

 262, 263) is a berry, at whose base is seen the scar left by the fallen 

 perianth ; it contains a seed with a thick fleshy oily embryo. 2 The 

 Laurels are trees with persistent alternate leaves. Their flowers form 

 small pedunculate umbels, surrounded by an involucre of several 

 imbricated bracts and collected in variable numbers on a little com- 

 mon axis 3 axillary to a leaf. The Classic Laurel 4 appears to come 

 from Asia Minor ; the other species of the genus, L. canariensis* in- 

 habits the islands to the west of North Africa. 



V. CASSYTHA SERIES. 



The genus Cassyt/m 6 (figs. 264-268), which is the only member of 

 this series, has its flowers hermaphrodite, or polygamous by abortion 

 of the gynseceum. The receptacle forms a cup, shallow in this case, 

 but much deeper in the bisexual flowers. From its bottom springs the 

 gynseceum, while its edges give insertion to the perianth and andro- 

 ceum. We here find a very distinct calyx and corolla; the former 

 consists of three little sepals with thin valvate edges ; the latter of 

 three petals (two postero-lateral and the third anterior), thick and 

 rather fleshy, much longer than the sepals, concave internally and 

 valvate in the bud. The androceum consists of twelve stamens in 



four leaves, and au androceum of eight stamens, are more numerous (3-6) below the terminal 



four superposed to the perianth-leaves and pos- hud. 



sessing glands, and four alternate exterior with- 4 Lavrus nohilis L., Sort. Cliff., 155. — 



out glands. The pollen is globular, without Schkuhr, Handb., t. 110. — Havnic, Arzn. 12, 



pores or folds. t. 18.— Sibtii., Fl. Qreec,, t. 365. — IIeichb., 



1 With two coats. Icon., t. 673— Mkissn., Prodr., n. l.—L. vul- 



2 The radicle does not descend so low as the garis Bauii., Tin., 460. — Duham., Arbr., t. 134, 

 bases of the cotyledons, which form a sort of 135. — Ur.u kw., Herb., t. 175. 



sheath concealing it from view from the outside 5 Webb, Phyi. Canar., iii. 229, t. 204 (nee W.). 



(tig. 263). — MEISSir., /',;„/,-., n. 2. — L. nobilis Cat. (ex 



' J The female flowers appeared to us to be Webb., nee L.).— Persea azork-a Seub., Fl. 



arranged on a small axillary branch, which ends Azor., 29, t. 6. 



in a bud and bears two lateral axes, each ending « L., Gen., n. 505.— Adans., Fam. des PL, 



in a little group of flowers. Each of these little ii. 2S I,— J., Gen., 439.— G.£RT.\\, FrucL, ii. 133, 



axes was axillary to a bract inserted near the t. 122.— Lamk., Diet., i. 653; Suppl., ii. 131; 



base of the little branch. When there is only ///., t. 323.— Xees, in Wall. PI. Asiat. Ear., 



one secondary axis, the bud at the end of the ii. 61-69; Syst., 641. — Ehdi., Gen., n. 2067.— 



primary axis appears lateral. In the male plants Meissh., Gen., 252, 516.— H. Bn., in Adan- 



the general arrangement appears the same; sonia, ix. 308.— Calodium Lour., Fl. CocMneh., 



but the secondary axes that bear the flowers 217.— Vohttella Fohsk., Fl. Mqypt.-Arah., 84. 



