LAUREL FAMILY 
Stamens.—In sterile flowers nine, inserted on the base of the 
calyx in three rows, the inner row with a pair of conspicuous glands 
at the base of each; fertile flowers have six short rudimentary 
stamens. Anthers innate, oblong, four-celled, opening by four up- 
lifting valves. 3 
Pistil.—Ovary superior, nearly sessile in the tube of the calyx, 
simple, one-celled ; style one; ovule one, suspended from the apex 
of the cell. 
fruit.—Drupe, oblong, dark blue, shining, surrounded at the 
base by the enlarged and thickened scarlet calyx raised on a club- 
shaped rather fleshy pedicel. Cotyledons thick, fleshy. 
The Sassafras often grows in dense thickets. A single tree, 
if allowed to spread unrestrained, will soon be surrounded 
by a numerous and flourishing family, as its stoloniferous 
roots extend in every direction and send up multitudes of 
shoots. When full grown it is rather picturesque, as its 
branches are usually irregular and the head partially flattened, 
It has the peculiarity of looking older than it really is because 
of its rough, deeply furrowed, gray bark and rather warped 
stem. This cracking of the bark is characteristic; it begins 
on stems two or three years old, and continues through life. 
A peculiar foliage marks the tree 
in every situation, for it enjoys the 
distinction of bearing leaves of three 
different forms on the same branch ; 
a distinction among our common de- 
ciduous trees shared only with the 
Mulberry. Those leaves are oval, or 
oval with a lobe at one side making 
what are called “mittens,” or regu- 
larly three-lobed. There seems to be 
no known law which determines the 
order of their appearance, but the 
mature tree bears more oval leaves 
than lobed ones, 
Fruit of the Sassafras. 
The Sassafras will grow in any loose moist soil, and es- 
pecially delights in neglected and abandoned fields. 
The fruit is a beautiful, dark blue, shining berry set ona 
bright red, club-shaped, fleshy stem. ‘The birds love it and 
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