422 LAURACE^. (laurel family.) 



5. BRUNNICHIA, Banks. Beunnichia. 



Calyx 5-parted ; the divisions somewhat petal-like, oblong, connivent and 

 coriaceous in fruit. Stamens 8 : filaments capillary : styles 3, slender : stigmas 

 depressed-capitate. Ovule hanging on the summit of a slender erect funiculus : 

 the seed erect, 6-grooved. Embryo in one of the angles of the mealy albumen, 

 somewhat curved. Achenium obtusely triangular, partly 3-celled, enclosed in 

 the indurated calyx, its base and almost the whole length of the pedicel winged 

 on one side. (Named fori^. Brunnich, a Danish naturalist.) 



1. B. cirrh6sa, Banks. — A somewhat shrubby smooth plant, with grooved 

 stems, climbing by tendrils extended from the ends of the branches. Leaves 

 ovate or heart-shaped, pointed, entire : petioles dilated at base and partly clasp- 

 ing; but no distinct sheath or stipules. Flowers greenish, 2-5 in a fascicle 

 from the axil of an awl-shaped bract, these crowded in axillary and terminal 

 racemes : pedicel jointed near the base. Fruiting calyx with the wing I'long. 

 — Pulaski Co., S. W. Illinois, Dr. F. Brendd : also southward. 



Obdee 88. I.-4URACEjE. (Laurel Family.) 



Aromatic trees or shrubs, with alternate simple leaves mostly marked with 

 minute pellucid dots, and flowers with a regular calyx q/4 or 6 colored sepals, 

 imbricated in 2 rows in the bud, free from the 1-celled and 1-ovuled ovary, 

 and mostly fewer than the stamens; anthers opening by 2 or i uplifted 

 valves. — Flowers clustered. Style single. Fruit a 1 -seeded berry or 

 drupe. Seed anatropous, suspended, with no albumen, filled by the large 

 almond-like embryo. — A well-marked family, very numerous in the trop- 

 ics, represented in our district by only five species, in four genera. 



* Flowers perfect, panicled : stamens 12, three of them sterile. 



1. Persea* Calyx persistent. Anthers 4-celle(l, those of three stamens turned outward. 



* * Flowers dioecious, or nearly so : stamens in the male flowers 9. 



2. Sassafras. Flowers in corymb- or umbel-like racemes. Anthers 4-celled, 4-Talved. 



3. liindera. Flowers in umbel-like clusters. Anthers 2-celled, 2-valve(l. 



4. Tetranthera. Flowers few in involucrate umbels. Anthers 4-celled, 4-valved. 



1 . P £ B S £ A , Gsertn. Alligator Pear. 



Flowers perfect, with a 6-parted calyx, which persists at the base of the berry- 

 like fi'uit. Stamens 12, in four rows, the 3 of the innermost row sterile and re- 

 duced to a sort of glands : the rest bearing 4-ceUed anthers (i. e. each of the 

 two proper cells is divided transversely into two), opening by as many uplifted 

 valves ; the anthers of 3 stamens turned outward, the others introrse. — Trees, 

 with persistent entire leaves, and small panicled flowers. (An ancient name of 

 some Oriental tree.) 



1. P. Carolin6nsis, Nees. (Red Bat.) Hoary at least when young 

 with a fine down ; leaves oblong, pale, soon becoming smooth above ; peduncle 

 bearing few flowers in a close cluster ; sepals downy, the outer shorter ; berries 

 dark blue, on a red stalk. (Laurus Carolinensis, Catesb. L. Borbonia, X.) — 

 Swamps, Delaware, Virginia, and southward. May. — A small tree. 



