394 LAURACE^E. (LAUREL FAMILY.) 



bearded at the apex ; drupe black. (Lauras Catesbyana, Michx.} South Flor- 

 ida. Shrub 6 - 9 high. Leaves 3' - 5' long. Fruiting pedicels club-shaped. 



2. SASSAFRAS, Nees. 



Involucre none. Flowers diceciously polygamous. Calyx 6-parted, spread- 

 ing. Stamens of the sterile flowers 9, in 3 rows, all fertile, the 3 inner ones 

 biglandular at the base ; those of the fertile flowers 6, sterile : anthei-s linear, 

 4-celled, 4-valved, introrse. Style subulate : stigma disk-like. Drupes blue, on 

 thick red pedicels. Trees, with entire or 2-3-lobed deciduous leaves, and 

 greenish flowers in clustered racemes, appearing before the'leaves. 



1. S. officinale, Nees. Leaves ovate, entire or 2-3-lobed, smooth or 

 pubescent ; racemes short, silky ; flowers sometimes white. (Laurus Sassafras, 

 L.) Dry open woods and old fields, Florida, and northward. March. A 

 small tree, with spicy bark. 



3. BENZOIN, Nees. SPICE-BUSH. 



Involucre 4-leaved. Flowers dioeciously polygamous. Calyx 6-parted. Sta- 

 mens of the sterile flowers 9 (more numerous and rudimentary in the fertile 

 flowers), in 3 rows : filaments slender, the inner ones lobed and glandular at the 

 base : anthers ovate, 2-celled, 2-valved, introrse. Style short. Drupe obovoid, 

 red, the pedicels not thickened. Shrubs, with entire deciduous leaves, and dull 

 yellow flowers in lateral sessile clusters, appearing before the leaves. 



1. B. odoriferum, Nees. Branches slender, smooth ; leaves oblong-obo- 

 vate, acute at the base, paler and pubescent beneath, soon smooth ; clusters 

 numerous, smooth. (Laurus Benzoin, L.) Banks of streams and low woods, 

 Florida, and northward. Feb. and March. A shrub 6- 10 high, with spicy 

 bark. Leaves 3' - 5' long. 



2. B. melisssefolium, Nees. Leaves oblong, short-petioled, obtuse or 

 slightly cordate at the base, silky on both sides, as also the branchlets and 

 clusters, at length smooth above ; drupes obovoid. (Laurus melissasfolia, 

 Walt.} Margins of ponds, West Florida to North Carolina. Feb. and March. 

 A shrub 2 -3 high. Leaves l'-2' long. 



4. TETRANTHERA, Jacq. 



Involucre 2 - 4-leaved. Flowers dioecious. Calyx 6-parted, deciduous. Sta- 

 mens of the sterile flowers 9, in 3 rows ; those of the fertile flowers numerous 

 and rudimentary : anthers 4-celled, 4-valved, introrse. Stigma peltate. Drupe 

 globose. Trees or shrubs, with entire leaves, and small flowers in clustered 

 umbels. 



1. T. geniculata, Nees. Branchlets smooth, zigzag, spreading; leaves 

 small, oval or oblong, soon smooth, deciduous ; involucre 2 - 4-flowered ; flowers 

 yellow, appearing before the leaves ; drupe red. (Laurus geniculata, Walt.) 

 Shallow pine-barren ponds, Florida, and northward. Feb. and March. A 



