324 WOODY PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
XIL 2. FEVER BUSH. SPICE BUSH. BENZOIN 
ODORIFERUM. Nees Von Esenbeck. 
The spice bush isa shrub, from four to ten feet high, with 
long, tapering, brittle branches. The recent shoots are smooth, 
and of a bright green, which, in the next year, takes an olive 
tint, and afterwards a pearly gray, which becomes darker on 
the older stalks. The leaves are from:two to five inches long, 
and one or two wide, scattered, very entire, broad lanceolate or 
obovate, sometimes almost rhomboidal, tapering at base, ab- 
ruptly pointed, sometimes obtuse, smooth and of a pleasant 
soft green above, pale or glaucous beneath; revolute and deli- 
cately ciliate on the margin; supported on leaf-stalks about 
half an inch long, smooth or rarely downy. In Apri, or the 
early part of May, clusters of from three to six flowers, of a 
greenish yellow, on very short pedicels, appear from buds 
distinct from the leaf-buds, in the axils of the last year’s leaves. 
What seem to be petals, area calyx of six oblong, obtuse seg- 
ments. The stamens are somewhat shorter, nine in number, in 
two rows, six exterior, and three interior, alternating with sta- 
men-like bodies; the filaments of the inner series trifid, with 
the lateral segments short and terminating in two-lobed glands. 
Anthers two-celled, cells opening by vertical elastic valves. 
Ovary roundish, surmounted by a short thickish style. Fruita 
dark red or purple drupe, of an oval shape, in bunches of from 
two to five, by the side of the base of the short leaf-branches, 
which are sometimes abortive. ‘The stem is short and stout, 
not so long as the fruit. While green, the drupe has the black 
style in a terminal hollow. 
This plant is remarkable for its graceful form, and large, hand- 
some leaves, particularly when found growing in the deep shade 
of a moist forest. Such a situation, where it seems most vig- 
orous, is not favorable to the production of its flowers and fruit. 
This plant derives its botanical name from its aromatic odor, 
resembling gum benzoin. This 1s to some persons always dis- 
agreeable, and when the leaves are bruised, oppressively strong. 
The bark is stimulant and tonic, and has been used in inter- 
muttent fevers. The berries are said to have been sometimes 
