10 



N. Ord. MAGNOLIACE^. Lindl., Veg. K., p. 417 ; Le Maout & Dec., 



p. 192; BailL, Hist. PI., vol. i. 

 Tribe Winterea. 



Genus Illicium,* Linn. B. & H., Gen., i, p. 18 ; Baill., 1. c., 

 p. 183. Species 5, natives of Asia and North America. 



10. Ulicium anisatum,t Linn., Sp. Plant, ed. 2, p. 664 (1764). 



Star-Anise. Skimmi (Japan). 



Syn. I. religiosum, Siebold & Zuccarini. 



Figures. Nees, t. 371; Hayne, xii, t. 29; Berg & Sch., t. 30 f; Bot. 

 Mag., t. 3965 ; Sieb. & Zuccar., Fl. Japon., i, 1. 1 ; Miers, Contrib. Bot., 

 i, t. 27 c; BailL, Hist. PL, i, figs. 195-199. 



Description. A small tree reaching about 20 feet high, 

 much branched, with smooth, round branches, young twigs 

 marked with the scars of fallen leaves and spotted with brown. 

 Leaves evergreen, alternate, rather crowded, without stipules, 

 stalked, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, tapering and pointed at 

 both ends, quite entire, smooth, shining, thick, with minute 

 pellucid dots, the lateral veins scarcely visible, 2 3 inches 

 long, on the young shoots much larger, 5 6 inches long. 

 Flowers on the young shoots of the year apparently terminal, 

 afterwards axillary, and sometimes coming from the old wood, 

 solitary, or in clusters of threes, shortly stalked, the pedicel sur- 

 rounded at the base with about six rounded, slightly ciliated 

 bracts, faintly sweet-scented. Sepals 3 6, roundish, caducous, 

 membranous, petaloid, imbricated. Petals about 24 (but varying 

 in number), imbricated in three or more series, spreading, 

 narrow- oblong, blunt, gradually smaller towards the centre, deci- 

 duous, pale greenish-yellow. Stamens indefinite (often about J6 

 or 20) in several rows, hypogynous ; filaments thick, short, dilated ; 

 anthers adnate, introrse, dehiscing laterally. Carpels 5 15 (often 

 8) in a single whorl, free, erect, compressed, 1 -celled ; style 



* Illicium, an allurement, from the odour and attractive appearance, 

 f Anisatum, from the scent of the fruit, like Anise. 



