Lauracecz Laurus. 393 



2 or 4 longitudinal valves. Fruit a 1 -celled 1 -seeded berry or 

 drupe ; seed pendulous. There are about 50 genera and 450 

 species, common in sub-tropical regions of Asia and America. 

 Few hardy species are known. 



1. LAtTRUS. 



Shrubs or trees with 1 -nerved alternate leaves and fascicled 

 sessile sub-dioecious flowers. Perianth 4- to 6-lobed. Stamens 

 12, all fertile ; anthers opening upwards by 2 valves. Fruit a 

 succulent berry surrounded by the persistent base of the peri- 

 anth. Only two species are retained under this genus by some 

 authors. The Latin name of the European species. 



1. L. nobilis. Sweet Bay, Laurel of the Ancients. This 

 aromatic fragrant evergreen shrub has oblong-lanceolate acute 

 venose leaves and axillary clusters of yellowish flowers in early 

 Spring. It is a native of the extreme South of Europe. There 

 is a closely allied half-hardy species from the Canaries. 



L. Sassafras, syn. Sassafras officinale, is a hardy deciduous 

 tree of small stature from North America. It has deeply fur- 

 rowed rough aromatic bark, yellowish green twigs, ovate entire 

 or trilobate leaves, greenish yellow dioecious flowers in 

 clustered racemose panicles, appearing with the leaves. The 

 anthers are 4-valved, and this with other characters has been 

 considered sufficient to separate it from Laurus. 



L. Benzoin, syn. Benzoin odoriferum, is a deciduous North 

 American shrub with oblong-ovate leaves and clustered um- 

 bellate flowers appearing before the leaves. It is rarely seen 

 in gardens. 



ORDER XCV. THYMELACE-33. 



Shrubs or trees with a tough fibrous bark, or rarely herbaceous. 

 Leaves simple, entire, opposite or alternate. Flowers usually 

 bisexual, in terminal or axillary spikes or heads, sometimes 

 involucrate, rarely solitary. Perianth inferior, tubular-cam- 

 panulate ; limb usually 4-lobed, lobes imbricate in bud. 

 Stamens commonly 8, and in two series, sometimes 4 or 2, and 

 opposite the perianth-lobes. Fruit a berry or drupe or dry 

 nut, 1 -celled 1 -seeded ; seed pendulous. Grenera about 40, 

 including 300 species. Eare in the northern hemisphere, 

 abundant at the Cape of Grood Hope, in Australia and South 

 America. 



