LAUREL FAMILY. 



LAURACE^. 



Spice-bush. lAndera Benzoin. 



Fever-bush. 



Benjamin-bush. 



Wild Allspice. 



Found flowering in April in damp soil and light shade. 



A branching, slender shrub from 4 to 12 feet in height, of a woody 

 fibre which is rather easily broken. The bark is smooth and firm, 

 slightly glossy, and gray-brown, inclining to reddish when young. 



The leaf is broad oval in shape, with a sharp tip, and set on a short 

 stem ; the margin is entire, the texture thick and tough, and the color 

 is a rich dark green, paler underneath. The arrangement of the leaves 

 is alternate, and they succeed the flowers in unfolding. 



The flowers, small and indeterminate in shape, are thin and fragile 

 in texture, and greenish, or lemon-yellow in color ; they have 6 narrow 

 petal-like parts, and many fine yellow stamens, with bright orange tips. 

 They are set on little foot-stems, in small clusters within the protecting 

 grasp of two pairs of small temporary envelopes, the outer pair golden 

 brown and bark-like, the inner resembling the flower. These little 

 clusters occur close together all along the branches. 



Blossoming amidst the gray woods of the early spring this golden 

 odorous shrub is a delightful surprise. The little leaf-bud is seen push- 

 ing its way forth from between the flower-clusters before the blossoms 

 are fairly spread. 



53° 



