458 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
consist of the embryo (fig. 252), more or less perfect of two species 
of Wectandra, Two kinds are distinguished, one the Jarge or true’ 
said to come from Wectandra (?) Puchury major, and the other 
called dastard or small* from WN. (?) P. minor ;* they were formerly 
used as aromatics. So in the same way we use the leaves of 
the classic Laurel’ or Bay in cooking; and its fruits’ yield on 
distillation a mixture of oils used in medicine as an aromatic 
stimulant.’ In the North-American Sassafras* it is chiefly the 
wood that is prized as an aromatic sudorific depuratory drug. The 
bark, however, is said to be more active. Various scents are 
found in the bark, wood, and fruit of many other Laurels, be- 
longing to the genera Aydendron,” Acrodichdium,” Nectandra,” Ocotea,* 
1 Of the same form as that of Laurus nobilis, 
but larger (27 to 45 millimetres by 20). 
2? Neus, Syst., 328.—Mutssy., Prodr., 156, 
n. 80; in Mart. Fl. Bras., Laurac., 265, t. 95. 
—Puchury, Picheri, Puchyry of the Brazilians, 
3 This is shorter and broader (20 to 34 mm. 
by 14 to 20). 
4 Negs, Syst., 336.—Meztssn., Prodr., n. 69. 
Ocotea Puchury minor Mart. Fl. Bras., 
Laurac., 277, t. 101.—Bucun., Rep., xxxv. 72. 
> See above, p. 439, figs. 261-263, not. 3.— 
GuIB., op. cit., 388.—PrRrina, Elem. Mat. 
Med., ed, 4, ii. p. i. 463.—Linpt., Fl, Med., 
340.—Ners & Exserm., Handb., ii. 416; Pl. 
Med., t. 182.—RosENTH., op. cit., 236.—H. By., 
in Dict. Encycl. des Sc. Médic., sér. 2, ii. 28, 
6 Bacce Laurea, or B. Lauri Off. (see figs. 
262, 263). ‘The tree is often cultivated in our 
gardens, and also in France. 
7 The oil of the pericarp is mainly volatile 
and aromatic, that of the embryo fat and fixed. 
This mixture enters into the composition of 
several medicinal unguents, the balm of Fio- 
ravanti, &c, 
8 Sce p. 436, figs. 253-255, note 1.—GuIB., 
loc. cit., 390.—PEREIRA, op. cit., ii, p. 1. 462.— 
Ness & Exserm., Handb., ii. 418; Pl. Med., 
t. 131.—Micux., Fl. Bor.-Amer., i. 244; Arbr. 
For,, iii. 173, t. i—Linph., Fl. Med., 338.— 
RosENTU., op. cit., 235. 
9 Gurs., loc. cit., 391. This bark is spongy 
and rust-coloured; its inner surface is covered 
with little white crystals. 
10 RosENTH., op. cit., 233.—Marr., Fl. Bras., 
Laurac., 318. The seeds of A, Cujumari NEES 
(Syst., 247; Mussy., Prodr., 94, n, 84), are 
used in Brazil as digestive. The Pichwrim-beans 
have been supposed the seeds of 4.? Laurel 
Neus (Syst., 249; Mutssy., Prodr., n. 81;— 
Ocotea Pichurim H. B. K., Nov. Gen. et Spec., 
ii, 266). 
1 Rosuntu., op. cié., 233.—Marr., loc. cit., 
317. A. Camara Scuoms. (cx Nzgs, in Linnea, 
xxi. 500; Merssn., Prodr., 87, 12) has a bitter 
aromatic wood. Its fruits, split and dried by the 
Indians of North Brazil, are used in dysentery 
and other intestinal complaints. (ScHoms., 
Voy,, ii. 335.) 
12 Canella do Mato of the Brazilians is N. 
cinnamomoides Nuns (Syst., 307; Metssy., 
Prodr., 167, n. 70;—Laurus cinnamomoides 
Mur., ex H. B. K., Nov. Gen. et Spec., ii. 169; 
—? L, Quixos Lamn., Dict,, iii. 455). This is 
also, no doubt, the Canela of New Granada, or 
Canelo de los Andaquis, very similar in pro- 
perties to the Ceylon Cinnamon-tree. 1. san- 
guinea Rorts. (in Act. Hafn. (1778), 279; Pl. 
Surin., 10; Meitssy., Prod?., n. 62 ;—Laurus 
sanguinea Sw., Fl. Ind, Oce., ii. 707 (part.) ; 
—L, globosa AuUBL., Guian., i. 864 ?—LD. mar- 
tiniciensis Jacg., Coll., ii. 109, t. 5, fig. 2;— 
L. Borbonia B Lamx., Dict., iii. 450) furnishes 
a stimulant aromatic bark, the Maraguanzimmt 
of the Antilles and Guiana. . eymbarwm Nurs 
(Syst., 305; Muissy., Prod, n. 32) is Ocotea 
cymbarum H. B. K. (Nov. Gen. et Spec., ti. 160) 
and O. amara Marv. (BucHN., Rep. xxxv. 180). 
We saw above that to this species was ascribed 
a so-called Pichurim-bark and Sassafras-wood. 
It is the Orinoco Sassafras- or Anise-wood, differ- 
ing from the officinal Sassafras chiefly in the 
bitter mingled with its aroma. It is also called 
Pao Sassafras at Para; it is prized as a tonic, 
diuretic, diaphoretic, and emmenagogune. A 
syrup of the same properties is extracted there- 
from, and is the Siruba of the Indians, the 
Aceite de Sassafras of the Spaniards (see Bull, 
Féruss., Jan., 1831, 63; RosEnvH., op. cit., 
234; Linn, Fl. Med., 336). Von Marrivug 
thinks that it enters into the curare or woorara 
poison of Orinoco. The Canella preto of the 
Brazilians, a diuretic, emmenagogue, and car- 
minative bark is ascribed to N. mollis Nung 
(Syst, 287 ; Murssy., Prodr., u. 8). 
% 0. gquianensis Av uu. (Guian., ii. 781, t. 310 ; 
— Oreodaphae guianensis Nuzs ; Muissn., 
