LAUREL FAMILY. 285 
inner ones. Styles 3, short; stigmas large, multifid. Akene triquetrous, 
winged at the angles, surrounded at base by the withered calyx. Her- 
mg : leaves chi iefly todieal, large ; flowers fasciculate, racemose-panic- 
ulate. 
R. Ruapon’ticum, Ait. Leaves cordate-ovate, rather obtuse,—the 
sinus at base dilated ; petioles with a shallow channel above, rounded at 
the edges. 
Ruapontic Rueum. Rhubark. Pie Rhubarb. 
Root perennial, tuberous, large, reddish-brown, yellow within. Stem 3-5 feet high 
pitta strate-suleate, smoothish, fistular, paniculately branched at summit. Radical 
bec 
ming v' ery lar large (18 inches to 2 feet lo ong), smoothish above, sa on the 
eins Somaak peti thick and su — lent, 4-8 or to inches long 
yc seiee, and petioles const hoe $ they ascend ; stipules’ large, membra ei sheathing. 
F in large terminal racemose ramnic le ,—the pedicels fasciculate slender, pee 
to half an inch one artic eae near the middle. Sepals gre ; Wit th whi margins ,— 
the oe rnarrow. Stigmas large, multifid, Sliced. 
Suinoue + snare ed. Native of Scythia. Fl. May. Fr. July - August. 
Obs. Fre requ enti oe for the sake of its ~_ acid petioles— 
which are used by the pas sh — in early spring, as a substitute for 
fruit, in making pies. ‘The t of other species raed the modieinal 
Rhubarb, and this species is caltiveted in England for its roots, which 
form an ‘plevice kind of the drug. 
Orpen LXI. LAURA’CER. ae Fanny.) 
w oe ere ee end 
Aromati photo or shrub itl 
lise ae us flowers ; calyx of 4-6 can ec ex Rola tbccee a in the 
bud ; stamens lefinite, usually more numerous than the sepals ; anihers 2 pirbi pens 
ing by uplifted persistent valves ; style single ; fruit a 1-seeded ‘berry or drupe. Seed. sus- 
Peet fe thou Bot pire 
The tropica gl of this Order are highly interesting, —a ing Cinnamon, Cassia 
and Hes phor ; oie also rg species of Laurus (L. nobilis, L) of which the ancients 
formed their Laurel wreaths or crowns. The species in the United States are of less 
portance. 
SAS’SAFRAS, Nees. Sassarras. 
[Altered from Salsafras, the Spanish name.] 
Flowers dicecious. — 6, membranaceous, united at base, persistent. 
Stam. Ft. Stamens 9, in three series, all fertile,—the 3 innermost with 
a pair of sti itate “gona at base; a anthers introrse, linear, 4-celled. 
Stamens 6, al Berry on a thickened poe 
fleshly pedicel. eee with atte often lobed but ‘the margins 
“and greenish yellow flowers in corymbose racemes, appearing Settle the 
1S. officina’le, Nees. Leaves ovate or some of them 3-lobed and 
cuneate at base ; drupe dark blue ; peduncle purple. 
niger AL SASSAFRAS. Speaegen 
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