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Manual of the New Zealand Flora.

[Introduction to Order LXIX. LaurineÆ.]

Trees or shrubs, often aromatic. (Cassytha is a leafless parasitic climber.) Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, usually simple and entire, often gland-dotted; stipules wanting. Flowers regular, hermaphrodite or unisexual, generally small, usually in axillary cymes or panicles or clusters. Perianth inferior, herbaceous or coloured, deeply cut into 4–8 (usually 6) imbricate segments. Stamens usually twice the number of the perianth-segments, inserted in 2–3 series on the perianth-tube, all fertile or some reduced to staminodia; filaments flattened, naked or provided with 2 glands at the base; anther-cells 2–4, opening by upturned valves. Ovary free, 1-celled; style simple, terminal; stigma capitate, entire or lobed; ovule solitary, pendulous, anatropous. Fruit a drupe or berry, rarely dry, free or enclosed in the perianth. Seed solitary, pendulous; albumen wanting; embryo with large plano-convex cotyledons, radicle minute, superior.

An important order, having its headquarters in tropical America and Asia, less common in tropical Africa or in Australia and the Pacific islands, while few species penetrate into either the north or south temperate zones. Genera, 35; species approaching 900. The order includes many useful plants, the chief of which are the camphor laurel, cinnamon, alligator pear, sassafras, &c The timber of not a few species is highly valued on account of its toughness and fine and solid grain. The three New Zealand genera are all widely diffused in tropical regions.

Trees. Flowers hermaphrodite, panicled. Three inner anthers extrorse 1. Beilschmiedia.
Trees. Flowers diœcious, umbellate; umbels involucrate. Anthers all introrse 2. LitsÆa.
Leafless parasitic twining herbs 3. Cassytha.