474 FLORA OF TEXAS. 



BENZOIN, Nees. Spice-bush. 



Involucre 4-leaved ; floioers dioeciously polygamous ; calyx 

 6-parted ; stamens of the sterile flowers 9 (more numerous 

 and rudimentary in the fertile flowers), in 3 rows ; filaments 

 slender, the inner ones lobed and glandular at the base ; 

 anthers ovate, 2-celled, 2-valved, introrse; style short; 

 drupe obovoid, red, the pedicels not thickened. — Shrubs, 

 with entire deciduous leaves, and dull-yellow flowers in 

 lateral sessile clusters, appearing before the leaves. 



B. ODORIFERUM, Nces. Bra7iches slender, smooth ; leaves 

 oblong-obovate, acute at the base, paler and pubescent be- 

 neath, soon smooth ; clusters numerous, smooth. (Laurus 

 Benzoin, L.) Banks of streams and low woods. February 

 and March. — A shrul), 6°-10° high, with spicy bark ; leaves 

 3'-5' long. 



TETKANTHERA, Jacq. 



Involucre 2-4-leaved ; ^o?«?er5 dioecious; c^Z^a; 6-parted, 

 deciduous; stamens of the sterile flowers 9, in 3 rows, 

 those of the fertile flowers numerous and rudimentary; 

 anthers 4-celled, 4-valved, introrse ; stigma peltate ; druj^e 

 globose. — Trees or shrubs, with entire leaves, and small 

 flowers in clustered umbels. 



T. GEN"icuLATA, Nccs. BranchUts smooth, zigzag, spread- 

 ing ; leaves small, oval or oblong, soon smooth, deciduous ; 

 involucre 2-4-flowered; floivers yellow, appearing before 

 the leaves ; fZn/^e red. (Laurus gen iculata, AValt.) Shal- 

 low pine-barren ponds. February and March. 



104. MEZEREUM FAMILY. Order, Thymelace^. 



Shrubs, with acrid juice, tough bark, simple entire dot- 

 less leaves, without stipules, and regular perfect flowers, 

 with a tubular or bell-shaped 4-5-cleft rarely entire calyx; 



