LAUREL FAMILY 



Stamens. — In sterile flowers nine, inserted on the base of the 

 calyx in three rows, the inner row with a pair of conspicuous glands 

 at the base of each ; fertile flowers have six short rudimentary 

 stamens. Anthers innate, oblong, four-celled, opening by four up- 

 lifting valves. 



Pistil. — Ovary superior, nearly sessile in the tube of the calyx, 

 simple, one-celled ; style one ; ovule one, suspended from the apex 

 of the cell. 



Fruit. — Drupe, oblong, dark blue, shining, surrounded at the 

 base by the enlarged and thickened scarlet calyx raised on a club- 

 shaped rather fleshy pedicel. Cotyledons thick, fleshy. 



The Sassafras often grows in dense thickets. A single tree, 

 if allowed to spread unrestrained, will soon be surrounded 

 by a numerous and flourishing family, as its stoloniferous 

 roots extend in every direction and send up multitudes of 

 shoots. When full grown it is rather picturesque, as its 

 branches are usually irregular and the head partially flattened, 

 It has the peculiarity of looking older than it really is because 

 of its rough, deeply furrowed, gray bark and rather warped 

 stem. This cracking of the bark is characteristic, it begins 

 on stems two or three years old, and continues through life. 



A peculiar foliage marks the tree 

 in every situation, for it enjoys the 

 distinction of bearing leaves of three 

 different forms on the same branch ; 

 a distinction among our common de- 

 ciduous trees shared only with the 

 Mulberry. Those leaves are oval, or 

 oval with a lobe at one side making 

 what are called " mittens," or regu- 

 larly three-lobed. There seems to be 

 no known law which determines the 

 order of their appearance, but the 

 mature tree bears more oval leaves 

 than lobed ones. 

 The Sassafras will grow in any loose moist soil, and es- 

 pecially delights in neglected and abandoned fields. 



The fruit is a beautiful, dark blue, shining berry set on a 

 bright red, club-shaped, fleshy stem. The birds love it and 



230 



Fruit of the Sassafras. 



