4-40 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
stamens at the most, sterile and alternating with the perianth-leaves ; 
the gynzceum, sterile and undeveloped in the male flower, is here 
formed as in most Zawracee, and contains a descending anatropous 
ovule’ with its micropyle applied to the placenta. The fruit (figs. 
262, 263) is a berry, at whose base is seen the scar left by the fallen 
perianth ; it contains a seed with a thick fleshy oily embryo.’ The 
Laurels are trees with persistent alternate leaves. Their flowers form 
small pedunculate umbels, surrounded by an involucre of several 
imbricated bracts and collected in variable numbers on a little com- 
mon axis’ axillary to a leaf. The Classic Laurel* appears to come 
from Asia Minor ; the other species of the genus, Z. canariensis,’ in- 
habits the islands to the west of North Africa. 
V. CASSYTHA SERIES. 
The genus Cassytha’ (figs. 264-268), which is the only member of 
this series, has its flowers hermaphrodite, or polygamous by abortion 
of the gynzceum. The receptacle forms a cup, shallow in this case, 
but much deeper in the bisexual flowers. From its bottom springs the 
gyneceum, while its edges give insertion to the perianth and andro- 
ceum. We here find a very distinct calyx and corolla; the former 
consists of three little sepals with thin valvate edges; the latter of 
three petals (two postero-lateral and the third anterior), thick and 
rather fleshy, much longer than the sepals, concave internally and 
valvate in the bud. The androceum consists of twelve stamens in 
four leaves, and av androceum of eight’ stamens, 
four superposed to the perianth-leaves and pos- 
sessing glands, and four alternate exterior with- 
out glands, The pollen is globular, without 
pores or folds, 
1 With two coats. 
2 The radicle does not descend so low as the 
bases of the cotyledons, which form a sort of 
sheath concealing it from view from the outside 
(fig. 263). 
%The female flowers appeared to us to be 
arranged on a small axillary branch, which ends 
jn a bud and bears two lateral axes, each ending 
in a little group of flowers. ach of these little 
axes was axillary to a bract inserted near the 
base of the little branch. When there is only 
one secondary axis, the bud at the end of the 
primary axis appears lateral. In the male plants 
the general arrangement appears the same ; 
but the secondary axes that bear the flowers 
are more numerous (3-6) below the terminal 
bud, 
4 Laurus nobilis L., Hort. Cliff, 155.— 
Scuxuur, Handb., t. 110.—Haynn, Arzn. 12, 
t. 18.—Srstx., Fl. Grec., t. 365,—RzIcus., 
Icon., t. 673.—Metssn., Prodr., n. 1,—L,. vul- 
geris Baux., Pin., 460.—Duuam., Arbr., t. 184, 
135.—Buackw., Herb., t. 175. 
5 Wess, Phyt. Canar., iii. 229, t. 204 (nec W.). 
—Meissn., Prodr., n. 2.—L. nobilis Cav. (ex 
Wess., nec L.).—Persea azorica SeuB., Fl. 
Azor., 29, t. 6. 
6 L., Gen, n. 505.—Apans., Fam. des Pl, 
ii, 284.—J., Gen., 439.—GzrRtn., Fract., ii. 133, 
t. 122.—Lamx., Dict., i. 653; Suppl. ii, 181; 
Lil., t. 323.—Nexs, in Wall. Pl. Asiat. Rar., 
ii, 61-69 ; Syst. 641.—ENDL., Gen., n. 2067.— 
Meissn., Gen., 252, 516.—H. Bn., in Adan- 
sonia, ix, 308.—Calodium Lour., Fl. Cochinch., 
247.— Vulutella Forsx., Fl. Zgypt.Arab., 84. 
