THE ECONOMIC HOUSE 59 
dispute about the matter. All the star anise of commerce comes from 
China, and it has always been difficult to secure accurate information 
about the sources of products from that country. Star anise is a small 
star-shaped cluster of fruits with the odor and flavor of anise. It is 
much used in oriental cookery. It is imported by Europe for flavoring 
spirits, particularly French wines, and for use in medicine. 
Inga laurina, a native of Peru, is a tree belonging to the Leguminosae, 
the family to which our locust tree belongs. The sweet edible pulp 
of the pods is eaten by the natives. 
Jacaranda ovalifolia (J. mimosaefolia), or GREEN Ivory Woop, a 
native of Brazil, is a large tree belonging to the Bignoniaceae, the family 
to which our trumpet creeper and catalpa belong. It bears great 
panicles of from 40 to 90 large blue flowers, and is considered one of 
the best flowering trees for warm countries. It is much planted as 
an ornamental and street tree in both Florida and California. The 
wood is used in cabinet work. 
Jasminum, or JASMINE, or JESSAMINE, belongs to the Oleaceae, the 
family to which our ash, lilac, and fringe-tree belong. There are over 
200 species of jasmine found in the warm countries of the world, but 
chiefly in the Eastern Hemisphere. The flowers are famed for their 
fragrance. Several species are used in the making of perfume. This 
collection includes 9 species. 
Jatropha Curcas, or FRENCH Puysic Nut, belongs to the same genus 
as our spurge nettle. The plant is a small tree, a native of tropial 
America, and extensively cultivated there for the oil which is extracted 
from the seeds. This oil is used in cooking, in soap making, and in 
medicine. The nut is supposed to contain a poisonous principle; but 
is said to be eaten in Mexico as peanuts are here. 
Jatropha pcdagrica, or GUATEMALA RHUBARB, is a closely related 
species that is also known as physic nut. 
Laurus nobilis, or SWEET BAY TREE, a small tree that is a native of 
the Mediterranean region, belongs to the Lauraceae, the family to 
which our sassafras and spice bush belong. The ancients held the 
tree sacred to Apollo, and crowned their heroes with wreaths made of 
the leaves of this tree. This is the laurel of literature and history: 
but is chiefly used today as a tub plant. The leaves are now used in 
cookery and in making confectionery. The Conservatory has more 
than two dozen handsome specimens, which are grouped about the 
entrances in the summer and are kept in the Bay House during the 
cooler months. 
Lawsonia inermis, var. alba, or HENNA, or CAMPHIRE, a native of Africa 
and Asia, belongs to the Lytheraceae, the family to which our locsestrife 
belongs. It is known is some sections as reseda or Egyptian privet. 
It is grown in California and Florida as an ornamental shrub, In 
the West Indies, where it is known as “mignonette,” it has naturalized 
itself. The leaves yield the henna or alhenna of the Arabs (the cyprus 
of the ancients). This henna was much used by the ancients, and is 
still used in Egpyt and elsewhere, for coloring women’s nails and 
