206 
SPICES 
CHAP. 
stout trunk, much branched low down, about 1 or 2 ft. 
through, with thick grey bark. The whole tree is very 
bushy, with strong branches forming a fairly compact 
and large head. The form and size of the leaves is 
varied. In some cases rounded ovate and quite obtuse, 
in others ovate-lanceolate to obtuse; the base is rounded, 
the apex more or less acuminate, but blunt. In the 
round-leaved form the apex is often quite rounded and 
not at all acuminate. In texture and colour they are 
firm, coriaceous, deep green, paler beneath, rather brittle. 
They have three or five conspicuous nerves joined at 
the base of the leaf, and running to the tip, paler green 
or almost yellow. The length of the leaves varies from 
3 to 7 in., the width from 2 to 4 in. The petiole is 
^ to 1 in. long. The flowers are borne in lax panicles 
on long peduncles from the upper axils of the branches, 
or from the ends of the branches, on long pubescent 
peduncles 2 or 3 in. long. The branches of the panicles 
are ^ in. in length, lengthening in fruit. The flowers are 
small and yellow, ^ in. long. The perianth tube 
is campanulate ; the segments, six in number, oblong 
lanceolate acute, pubescent. Stamens, nine complete, 
the outer six opposite the six perianth lobes. They 
have a hairy filament and a four-celled anther (the 
cells opening by valves), and a pair of glands at the 
base. There are three staminodes, or barren stamens. 
The ovary is superior, one-celled, and one-ovuled. The 
fruit is ovoid, a black fleshy drupe, with the enlarged 
perianth lobes at the base forming a cup. 
HISTORY 
Cinnamon seems to have been one of the earliest 
known spices, but it appears to be doubtful whether 
the spice mentioned in the earlier writings was cinnamon 
or cassia bark (Cinnamomum cassia). This latter was 
undoubtedly imported into Arabia in very early days 
from China, whence there was an extensive commercial 
intercourse from the earliest historic times. Both 
