LAURACEvK. 307 



been found only one species, Laurus bullata, a tall forest tree, whose fine 

 grained, dark coloured wood is much used in cabinet work, under the un- 

 promising name of ' Stinkwood,' so called from the offensive smell of the 

 fresh sawn timber. When made into furniture, the better specimens have 

 much the appearance of Rose-wood, and take a fine polish, {Harvey.) In 

 the E. Indies alone, according to Nees, (Systema Laurinarum) we find 86 

 species : viz. 2 of Polyadenia ; 6 of Daphnidium ; 1 of Benzoin ; 1 of Do- 

 decadenia ; 6 of LitscBa ; 25 of Tetranthera ; 1 of Cylicodaphne ; 1 of Acti- 

 nodaphne ; i of Endiandra ; 2 of Cryptocarya ; 2 of Beilschmiedia ; 1 of 

 Cecidodaphne ; 4 of Machilus ; 8 of Ocotea ; 3 of Alseodaphne j 2 of Carn- 

 phora ; and 20 of Cinnamomum. The greater part of these inhabit Nepal, 

 the Khassya Mountains, Assam, the Circars, the Neelgherries, the Peninsula 

 of Malacca with the adjacent Islands, the Moluccas, and Java. But few 

 species have been fovmd in the plains. Cinnamon, Camphor, Sassafras, 

 Benzoin, the Avocado Pear, and Laurel-leaves are the most important pro- 

 ducts of this order, and are too well known to require details. 

 Cinnamomum, Burm. (Nees. in Wall.pl. as. rar. 2, p. 73.) 



1, obtusifolium, Nees. (/. c. — Laurus obtusifolia, Roxb. fl. ind. 2, p. 302. 

 L. Bejolgota, Buck, trans. Linn. Soc. 13, 2. p. 559 ; excl. Laurus 

 malabathrica, Roxb.) L. b Mountainous countries immediately east 

 of Bengal. Fl. small, greenish-yellow, Jan. and Feb. ; fr. July and 

 Aug. Timber very useful for various purposes. (Roxb.) 

 2.iners, Reinw. (Nees. I. c. — Wight, icon. 1, t, 122, et t. 130; — J. 

 Grah. Cat. B. pi. p. 173.— Eheed. 1, t. 57.) Wild Cinnamon. L. b 

 Along the great range of the Ghauts, and in the hilly parts of the 

 Concans and Malabar. Java. Penang. Moulmein. Attran. Chappedong. 

 Fl. small, greenish-yellow, C. S. The leaves on being bruised have a 

 strong spicy smell. Billets of this tree are often sold together with , 

 other kinds of firewood, by the wood-cutters. (Nimmo.) In H. C. G. ? 

 FL? 



3. eucalyptdides, Nees. (/. c. — Laurus malabathrica, Soland MSS. ; — 

 Roxb.fl. ind. 2, p. 297.) b Malabar Mountains. Introduced into H. 

 C. G. before 1794, but had not fl. up to 1814. It must, however, 

 have fl. afterwards, since the dried specimens, examined by Prof. 

 Nees. V. Essenbeck, had been gathered there. The leaves have a 

 strong, acrid, clove-like taste and odour, somewhat tinctured with 

 camphor. (Nees.) 



4. nitidum, Nees. (/. c. ; — Hook. exot. fl. t. 176. excl. syn. Cinnamomum 

 Cassia, Nees, Disput. — Wight, icon. 1, t. 124. — Laurus nitida, Roxb. 

 fl. ind. 2, p. 300.) b Sumatra. Fl. small, pale yellowish, Feb. and 

 March ; fr. May and June. Taste and odour of the bark cinnamon- 

 like. (Nees.) 



5. zeylanicum, Nees. (I. c. p. 74.) b Ceylon. Fl. small, greenish-white, 

 Jan. and Feb. ; fr. May and June. — True Cinnamon-tree. Wt^f^^ *tt^ 

 Dalchini-gachh. 



