Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  l 
Mar.,  1875.  ; 
Oreodaphne  Californica, 
105 
older  friends  have  not  yet  thoroughly  familiarized  themselves  with 
these,  and  in  fact  the  whole  subject  seems  to  be  still  in  a  transition 
stage.  In  conclusion,  however,  I  feel  bound  to  denounce  emphat- 
ically and  unequivocally  the  following  bad  customs  : 
1st.  Unnecessary  combinations  of  Latin  and  English  names  in  one 
phrase,  as  Semen  Canary,  Oleum  Hemlock,  Radix  Doggrass,  &c. 
2d.  The  government  of  a  Latin  genitive  case  by  an  English  nomi- 
native, as  Tincture  Rhei,  Gum  Opii,  Infusion  Cinchonae. 
3d.  The  use  of  pure  Latin  phrases  without  the  proper  terminal  in- 
flections, as  Aqua  Ammonia,  Cannabis  Indicus,  Hydrargyrum  cum 
cretae. 
4th.  The  pronunciation  of  the  abbreviated  forms  of  Latin  pharma- 
ceutical names  ;  such  as,  Pil.  Ferr.  Carb.,  Rad.  Gran.  Cort.,  Pulv. 
Sacch.,  &c. 
Philadelphia,  February  ^^th,  1875. 
OREODAPHNE  CALIFORNICA,  NEES.,  NAT.  ORD.  LAURACE^. 
BY  JOHN   P.  HEAMY. 
[Abstract  from  a  Thesis  presented  to  the  California  College  of  Pharmacy,  Jan.,  1875.) 
Botanical  description. — Flowers  hermaphrodite  ;  perianth  short,  cam- 
panulate  and  deeply  six-cleft.  The  divisions  are  somewhat  rigid,  equal 
and  deciduous.  Twelve  stamens,  of  which  the  exterior  nine  are  fer- 
tile, and  the  three  interior  are  sterile.  The  sterile  stamens  are  shaped 
differently  from  the  fertile.  Stigma  is  peltate  and  shortly-lobed.  The 
flowers  are  in  axillary  umbels^  surrounded  by  an  involucrum,  which 
falls  off  during  the  development  of  the  flowers.  Fruit  is  a  one-seeded, 
fleshy  berry  or  drupe.  Leaves  are  alternate,  simple,  lanceolate, 
slightly  acuminate,  petiolate,  exstipulate,  pinnately-veined,  coriaceous, 
and  marked  with  minute  pellucid  dots.  The  margin  is  entire,  and  the 
upper  surface  reticulated. 
The  Oreodaphne  Californica^  more  familiarly  known  by  the  name  of 
"  California  Bay  Laurel,"  is  an  evergreen  tree  indigenous  to  California 
and  the  Pacific  slope.  It  acquires  considerable  size  and  age,  and  grows 
abundantly  throughout  the  State,  particularly  in  the  vicinity  of  ravines 
and  moist,  shady  localities  ;  it  flowers  in  June.  The  wood  is  much 
valued  for  ornamental  cabinet-work,  on  account  of  its  grain,  which, 
when  polished,  presents  a  fine  appearance.  The  tree  is  never  attacked 
by  insects,  owing,  as  it  is  supposed,  to  the  volatile  oil  it  contains.  Some 
of  the  native  Californians  have  peculiar  ideas  concerning  this  tree.  It 
is  believed  by  them  to  aggravate  asthmatic  complaints,  and  that  sleep- 
