LAUKACEAE 161 



peduncled umbels, provided with four glabrous, caducous bracts, sepals 6, 

 obtuse; stamens 12; ovary ovoid with stout style or a large stigma. Fruit 

 sub-globose, about 6 mm. long; perianth tube small, flat; peduncle 2-5 

 cm. long. 



Himalaya to Hupeh and Szechuan. 



Litsea citrata Blume. 



Shrub or small tree. Nearly glabrous. Buds naked. Leaves mem- 

 branous, lanceolate, green above, glaucous below, 10-41 cm. long. 

 Flowers with the leaves in solitary or clustered umbels; stamens 9-10 

 cm. long. Fruits black, 4-6 mm. long. 



India to Szechuan, Hupeh and Kiangsi. In India a silkworm is 

 raised on the leaves of this plant. 



Litsea faberi Hemsley is another arborescent species. It extends 

 from India to S. and W. China. 



LINDERA 



Trees or shrubs usually deciduous. Leaves entire or sometimes 

 3-lobed (resembling Sassafras). 



Flowers yellow, in nearly sessile or in short-stalked axillary clusters 

 or umbels, dioecious or polygamous, apetalous; the male flowers with ,9 

 stamens in 3 rows or series, those of the inner series bearing glands at 

 the base; anthers 2 celled and 2 valved. Pistillate flowers often show 

 numerous rudiments of stamens, ovary globose. 



Fruit a fleshy drupe, black or red in color. 



A genus with numerous species in Asia and few in North America. 

 The aromatic oil of some species is used in perfumery. (Benzoin is a 

 synonym of the genus.) 



The only common arborescent species is: — 

 Lindera megaphylla Hemsley. 



Tree to 20 m. tall with rough gray bark. Fruit plum-like. The wood 

 is valuable. 



W. China. 



