LAURAOEAE 153 



enlarged persistent perianth tube,' flesh thin ; seed large, solitary, smooth, 

 exalbuminous; cotyledons large, plano-convex, fleshy or oily; embryo 

 straight. 



Varying with latitude and altitude the flowers appear from April to 

 June and the fruit matures from September to November. 



The true camphor tree is native in China, Japan, Korea and Formosa. 

 It is now cultivated in many of the tropical and warm temperate regions of 

 the world. The tree usually does not attain great size, or over 1 m. in 

 diameter of trunk. Old, broad-buttressed specimens, of great age, are 

 sometimes found about temples and shrines in China and Japan, these 

 are reported as measuring 6-8 m. in diameter of trunk or buttress at 1.5 

 m. from the ground. 



China: Kiangsi, Fukien and Kwangtung, rare in Hu'peh and Szechuan. 



Both wood and leaves contain the camphor, a concrete volatile 

 colorless oil, lighter than water, with a penetrating odor and pungent 

 but cooling taste. It is very soluble in fixed and volatile oils, in alcohol 

 and ether, evaporating completely in the air, and is very inflammable. 

 Dissolved in alcohol, oil and vinegar, it is much employed externally 

 for rheumatism and contusions. Taken in overdoses it may produce 

 insensibility and even death. 



The branches and wood are the parts generally utilized. The amount 

 of camphor varies in the different parts of the tree, the branches containing 

 the least, about 2% ; the roots the most, usually 6 or 7%. The camphor 

 is obtained by cutting the wood into small chips and submitting these to 

 a process of sublimation through steam. The process of production 

 varies in different regions. The greater part of the world's supply of pure 

 eamphor is produced in Formosa. A common process of production in 

 use there is as follows: — 



A long wooden trough, with a coating of clay to protect it from 

 fire, is fixed over a furnace. Water is then poured into it and over it 

 a board perforated with numerous small holes is fitted. The wood of 

 the camphor-tree is cut into small chips and these are placed above the 

 holes and covered with earthen pots. Then a fire is lighted in the 

 furnace, the water becomes heated and as the steam rises it passes 

 through the holes and the chips, carrying with it the camphor vapor 

 which condenses in the upper part of the pots, and from which the 

 ■camphor is scraped out every few days. 



