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DESCRIPTION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
6-parted, spreading calyx; the sterile kind with 9 stamens 
inserted on the base of the calyx in three rows, the 3 inner 
with a pair of stalked glands at the base of each ; anthers 
4-celled, 4-valved; fertile flowers with 6 short rudiments of 
stamens and an ovoid ovary. Drupe ovoid, blue, supported 
on a club-shaped and rather fleshy reddish pedicel. Flowers 
greenish-yellow, naked, in clustered and peduncled racemes, 
appearing with the leaves, involucrate with scaly bracts. 
FI. April. The bark of the root, as well as the chipped 
wood of same, are used as a tea, etc. From young stems an 
ethereal oil is distilled. Oleum Sassafras. 
lindera Benzoin, Blume. Allspice. Shrubs, 6-15' high, leaves 
deciduous, nearly smooth, oblong-obovate, pale underneath. 
Flowers polygamous-dioecious with a 6-parted open calyx; 
the sterile with 9 stamens in 3 rows, fertile flowers with 15- 
18 rudiments of stamens and a globular ovary. Drupe ob- 
ovoid, red, the stalk not thickened. The honey-yellow 
flowers, in almost sessile lateral umbel-like clusters, appear- 
ing before the leaves, surrounded by an involucre of 4 de- 
ciduous scales. FI. March. Damp woods, frequent along the 
river bank at Nashville. The bark, berries and leaves are 
collected separately. 
LOIiANTHACEiE. (Mistletoe Family.) 
Phoradendron flavescens, Nutt. American Mistletoe. Yel- 
lowish-green woody parasite, living on the branches of oaks, 
Crataegus, elms, etc., having jointed, much branched stems, 
firm persistent leaves and axillary, small spikes of flowers. 
Flowers dioecious, usually several to each short fleshy bract 
and sunk in the joint. Calyx globular, 3-4-lobed; in the 
staminate flowers a sessile anther is borne on the base of each 
lobe, transversely 2-celled, each cell opening by a pore or 
split ; in the fertile flowers the calyx-tube adheres to the 
ovary; stigma sessile, obtuse. Berry 1-seeded, white, pulpy. 
Leaves obovate or oval, somewhat petioled, longer than the 
the spikes. Eli Lilly & Co. Plant and berries. 
