FLORIDA TORCH WOOD. 
115 
of East Florida, no doubt near the coast ; and fine speci- 
mens have been collected on the shores of Key West, by 
Dr. Blodgett. 
The general appearance of this elegant tree, and its lucid 
leaves almost remind one of the myrtle; the leaves, always 
growing by 3’s, are equally filled with aromatic, oily reser- 
voirs, looking like pellucid dots when viewing the leaf as 
held up to the light. They are opposite, on petioles of 
about i an inch in length ; the petiole of the central leaflet 
of the three is also about the same extent ; the leaflets are 
short, about 1 to 1| inches long, by an inch in width, 
perfectly entire, of a broad ovate form, shortly acuminate, 
with the point mostly obtuse, but slightly apiculated ; 
beneath dull and paler, above reticulately veined and shin- 
ing. The flowers are small and yellowish white, in termi- 
nal, shortish, oppositely branched panicles. The calyx is 
minute, and 4 toothed. The petals 4, oval-oblong, concave, 
spreading and glandular beneath. Stamens 8, shorter than 
the petals, with long, white, oblong-linear 2-celled anthers, 
which open lengthways. The germ is ovate, with a small, 
sessile, concave stigma. The berry is black and glaucous 
with a bloom, narrowed below, about the size of a grain of 
black pepper, and covered with an agreeably aromatic, oily 
pulp. 
This species is considerably allied to Amyris maritima, 
which produces a white, hard and odoriferous wood, but 
in that plant the leaves are really obtuse, almost round, not 
acuminate, decidedly crenate on the margin, and of a 
much thicker consistence. 
The wood of this species is yellowish white, close grain- 
ed, and capable of receiving a high polish. The leaves and 
bark of several of the West India species of this genus 
yield a fine balsamic juice, wholly resembling that of the 
Gilead balsam. By distillation the wood would also yield 
a very grateful perfume. 
