394 LATJRACE^. (laurel FAMILY.) 



bearded at the apex ; drupe black. (Laurus Catesbyana, Michx.) — South Flor- 

 ida. — Shrub 6° - 9° high. Leaves 3' - 5' long. Fruiting pedicels club-shaped. 



2. SASSAPBAS, Nees. 



Involucre none. Flowers dioeeiously polygamous. Calyx 6-partcd, spread- 

 ing. Stamens of the sterile flowers 9, in 3 rows, all fertile, the 3 inner ones 

 biglandular at the base ; those of the fertile flowers 6, sterile : anthers linear, 

 4-celled, 4-valved, introrse. Style subulate : stigma disk-like. Drapes blue, on 

 thick red pedicels. — Trees, with entire or 2 - 3-lobed deciduous loaves, and 

 greenish flowers in clustered racemes, appearing before the leaves. 



1. S. oflSeinale, Nees. Leaves ovate, entire or 2 -3-lobed, smooth or 

 pubescent; racemes short, silky ; flowers sometimes white. (Lanrns Sassafras, 

 L.) — Dry open woods and old fields, Florida, and northward. March. — A 

 small tree, with spicy bark. 



3. BENZOIN, Nees. Spice-Bush. 



Involucre 4-leaved. Flowers dioeeiously polygamous. Calyx 6-parted. Sta- 

 mens of the sterile flowers 9 (more numerous and rudimentary in the fertile 

 flowers), in 3 rows : filaments slender, the inner ones lobed and glandular at the 

 base ; anthers ovate, 2-cclled, 2-valved, introrse. Style short. Drupe obovoid, 

 red, the pedicels not thickened. — Shrubs, with entire deciduous leaves, and dull 

 yellow flowers in lateral sessile clusters, appearing before the leaves. 



1. B. odoriferum, Nees. Branches slender, smooth ; leaves oblong-obo- 

 vate, acute at the base, paler and pubescent beneath, soon smooth ; clusters 

 numerous, smooth. (Laurus Benzoin, L ) — Banks of streams and low woods, 

 Florida, and northward. Feb. and March. — A shrub 6°- 10° high, with spicy 

 bark. Leaves 3' - 5' long. 



2. B. melissaefolium, Nees. Leaves oblong, short-petioled, obtuse or 

 slightly cordate at the base, silky on both sides, as also the branchlets and 

 clusters, at length smooth above ; drupes obovoid. (Laurus melisssefolia, 

 Walt.) — Margins of ponds. West Florida to North CaroUna. Feb. and March. 

 — A shrub 2° - 3° high. Leaves 1 ' - 2' long. 



4. TETRANTHEEA, Jacq. 



Involucre 2 - 4-leaved. Flowers dioecious. Calyx 6-parted, deciduous. Sta- 

 mens of the sterile flowers 9, in 3 rows ; those of the fertile flowers numerous 

 and rudimentary : anthers 4-celled, 4-valved, introrse. Stigma peltate. Drupe 

 globose. — Trees or shrubs, with entire leaves, and small flowers in clustered 

 umbels. 



1. T. geniculata, Nees. Branchlets smooth, zigzag, spreading; leaves 

 small, oval or oblong, soon smooth, deciduous ; involucre 2-4-flowered ; flowers 

 yellow, appearing before the leaves ; drupe red. (Laurus geniculata. Wall.) — 

 Shallow pine-barren ponds, Florida, and northward. Feb. and March. — A 



