^ ENNEANDRIA MOXOGYNIA 253 



and axillary ; seed equally~Jviquetrou$, nearly naked. Beck, Bot. 



p. 303. 



Vulgo — Buck-wheat. 



Gall, hlid Sarrasin. Germ. Der Buchiveitzen. Hisp. Trigo Sarraceno. 



Root annual. Stem 2 to 4 feet high, much branched, angular and sulcate-striatc, 

 pubescent near the joints, becoming dark purple. Leaves 2 to 3 or 4 i?iches long, 

 and 1 to 2 inches wide, often a little hastate at base ; petioles Ho 2 or 3 inches long. 

 Stipules short, smooth. Flowers in somexchat paniculate racemes, fascicles rather 

 crotcided ; pedicels slemler, longish, obscurely articulated above the middle. Peri- 

 anth mostly wfiite, with tinges of green and pale purple. Seed equally and acute- 

 hj triquetrous, somewhat acinninate, much longer than the perianth, smooth, dark 

 brmm xchen mature, often striately clouded. 

 Hab. Fields : frequent. PI. August. Fr. September— October. 



Obs. The grain of this affords a favorite article of food ; and it is much culti- 

 vated in some districts,— particularly those which are rough and hilly. It is con* 

 sidcred a severe Top upon the soil, and is rarely sown on highly improved land ; 

 but it is admirably adapted to subdue nerc, or wild lands. Thefloxcers are a fa- 

 vorite resort of the honey-bee. Bight or ten additional species are enumerated in 

 the U. States. 



CLASS IX^ 



Order 1. Jlonogynia. 



202. LAURU8. L. J\*utt. Gen. 374. 

 [The ancient Latin name for the Bay [tree: Ltymoiogy obscure.] 



Sub-genus EuosMrs. NutU I. c. Diok -ously polygamous : Peri- 

 anth colored or corolla-like, 6-partcd. Fertile stamens 9, arranged in 

 a double series ; the 6 outer ones with simple distinct filaments; the 3 

 inner ones with triple connate filaments at base,— the lateral or acces- 

 sory ones short, bearing abortive gland-like anthers. Ovanj superior. 

 Drupe 1 -seeded. 



Trees, or Shrubs : leaves alternate, entire, or lobed, deciduous ; flowers in lateral 

 conglomerate umbels, or terminal bracteate corymbose racemes, sometimes ap- 

 pearing before the leaves. Nat. Ord. 21. Lindl. Laurin&e. 

 1. L. Benzoic, L. Leaves lance^obovatc, entire ; flowers in lateral 

 umbellate clusters, preceding the leaves, often dioicous ; buds and pedi- 

 cels smooth. Beck, Bot. p. 305. 

 L. pseudo-benzoin. Mx. Am. I. p. 243. 

 JV^o— Spice-wood. Wild All-spice. Fever bush. Benjamin tree. 



Stem 6 to 8 or 10 feet high, branched ; branches virgate, brittle. Leaves 2 to 4 

 Inches long, and 1 to 2 inches wide, varying from lance-oval to obovate, mostly- 

 acute, or with a short acumination (sometimes obtuse and rounded at apex), often 

 cuneate at base, mostly smooth, pale or somewhat glaucous beneath ; petioles 

 about half an inch long. Flotcers in clusters of 3 to 5 from a bud, on pedicels about 

 2 lines long; flower-buds distinct from the leaf-buds. Perianth greenish yellow ; 

 segments obovate-oblong, obtuse. Stamens rather shorter than the perianth ; the 

 filaments of the inner series dilated at base, trifid,with the lateral segments short, 

 bearing 2-iobed (or sometimes peltate) glands, instead of anthers; perfect anthers 

 2-ceiled ; each cell opening by a vertical elastic valve, which is detached at the 



22 



