THE CINNAMON TRIBE. 155 



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In the fertile flowers {fig. 4.) there are only four im- 

 perfect stamens, each with two, small, rounded lobes 

 in the middle, and a superior ovary containing a 

 single cell, and terminated by a style surmounted by 

 a dilated, purple, glandular stigma {jig. 5.) ; it con- 

 tains a single suspended ovule. The fruit, when 

 ripe, is ovate, black, and succulent {fig. G.), and 

 contains a single seed, with a thick, almond-shaped 

 {amygdaloid ) embryo, whose radicle points to the apex 

 of the fruit {fig. 7. & 8.). 



It will be plain to you at once that this plant corres- 

 ponds in every respect with the Mezereum Tribe, 

 as in the absence of petals, the number of lobes of the 

 calyx, the number of perfect stamens, and the whole 

 structure of the ovary and fruit. But, on the other 

 hand, it differs in the presence of so many abortive 

 stamens, in its anthers with recurved valves, and its 

 aromatic qualities. It is, however, well worth notice, 

 that although we use Cinnamon and Cassia habitually 

 in small quantities, yet that this Tribe possesses in 

 abundance a powerful acrid juice, which assimilates 

 its secretions very much to those of the Mezereum 

 Tribe. 



The genera differ chiefly in the number, form, and 

 position of the abortive stamens, in the number of cells 



