Fig. 388.—Laurus nobilis: longitudinal section of fruit.
The Lauraceæ present affinities with the Polygonaceæ, in which there is found perigyny, as well as a similar number of parts in the flower and a similar gynœceum, but with erect and orthotropous ovule. From their general characters they should be classed among the Polycarpicæ, but stand, however, isolated by the syncarpous gynœceum, if it is in reality formed by 3 carpels and not by 1 only. Hernandia, which has epigynous monœcious flowers, deviates most.—Cassytha is a Cuscuta-like, herbaceous, slightly green parasite with twining, almost leafless stems. The flower however agrees with the diagram in Fig. [387]. Some Lauraceæ have curved veins or palminerved and lobed leaves (often together with entire ones) e.g. Sassafras.
Fig. 389.—Myristica: fruit.]
Fig. 390.—Seed with aril entire and in longitudinal section.
There are 1000 species; especially in the forests of tropical S. America and Asia, of which they form the principal part. Only Laurus nobilis is found in Europe, and there is little doubt that its proper home is in Western Asia. They are rare in Africa.—On account of the volatile oil found in all parts of the plant, they are used as spices, e.g. the false Cinnamon-tree (Dicypellium caryophyllatum, in the Brazils). The OFFICINAL ones are—the Cinnamon-tree (Cinnamomum zeylanicum from Ceylon, E. India, Eastern Asia), which is also cultivated; the Camphor-tree (Cinnamomum camphora, Eastern Asia). The Laurel-tree (Laurus nobilis, Mediterranean), the berries and leaves of which give laurel oil, is medicinal.—Scented wood for furniture, etc., is obtained from Sassafras officinalis (from N. Am.). The wood from its roots is officinal. Pichurim “beans” are the large cotyledons of Nectandra pichury, whilst the famous “Greenheart” wood of Demarara is the wood of Nectandra rodiæi. The pulp and seeds contain a fatty oil. The pear-like fruit of Persea gratissima (Mexico, also cultivated) is very delicious. Lindera benzoin is a garden shrub; Laurus nobilis likewise.
Order 12. Myristicaceæ (Nutmegs). In this order there is only 1 genus, Myristica. Trees or shrubs. The leaves agree closely with those of the Lauraceæ, with which this order has many points in common. The majority of the species are aromatic, having in their vegetative parts pellucid glands with volatile oils. The flowers are regular, diœcious, trimerous, and have a single gamophyllous (cupular or campanulate) 3-toothed, fleshy perianth. In the ♂-flowers the anthers vary in number (3–15), and they are extrorse and borne on a centrally-placed column; in the ♀-flower the gynœceum is unilocular, unicarpellary, with 1 ovule. The FRUIT (Fig. [389]) has the form of a pear; it is a fleshy, yellow capsule, which opens along the ventral and dorsal sutures, exposing the large seed. This seed has a large, red, irregularly branched aril—the so-called “mace”; the “nutmeg,” on the other hand, is the seed itself with the inner thin portion of the testa, which has pushed its way irregularly into the endosperm, and causes the marbled appearance of the cut seed (Fig. [390]); the external, dark brown, hard, and brittle part of the seed-shell is however removed. Mace and nutmeg contain volatile and fatty oils in abundance.—80 species. Tropical. The majority are used on account of their aromatic seeds and aril, the most important being M. fragrans (moschata), from the Moluccas. This is cultivated in special plantations, not only in its native home, but in other tropical countries also. Nutmegs were known as commodities in Europe in very ancient times (e.g. by the Romans), but it was not until the year 1500 that the tree itself was known. The seed is OFFICINAL.