in botany, a genus of the enneandra monogynia class. It has no calyx; the corolla consists of six petals; the nectarium consists of three glands, with two bristles surrounding the germs; and the drupa contains but one seed. There are eleven species, among which are the cinnamonum, or cinnamon-tree; the camphora, or camphor-tree, (see Camphor;) and the sassafras, or sassafras-tree.

The bark of the cinnamon-tree is light, thin, and of a reddish colour, rolled up in long quills or cases; of a fragrant delightful smell, and an aromatic sweet pungent taste, with some degree of astringency. It is generally mixed with the caña bark: this leaf is easily distinguishable by its breaking over smooth, whilst cinnamon splinters; and by its slimy mucilaginous taste, without any thing of the roughness of the true cinnamon. Cinnamon is a very elegant and useful aromatic, more grateful both to the palate and stomach than most other substances of this class: by its astringent quality it likewise corroborates the viscera, and proves of great service in several kinds of alvine fluxes and immoderate discharges from the uterus. As essential oil, a simple and spirituous distilled water, and a tincture of it, are kept in the shops: it is likewise employed as a spicy ingredient in a great number of compositions.

The root of the sassafras-tree is brought to us in long straight pieces, very light, and of a spongy texture, covered with a rough fungous bark; outwardly of an ash colour, inwardly of the colour of rusty iron. It has a fragrant smell, and a sweetish aromatic subacrid taste: the bark tastes much stronger than any other part; and the small twigs stronger than the large pieces. As to the virtues of this root, it is a warm aperient and corroborant; and frequently employed, with good success, for purifying and sweetening the blood and juices. For these purposes, infusions made from the rapped root or bark may be drank as tea. In some constitutions, these liquors, by their fragrance, are apt, on first taking them, to affect the head: in such cases, they may be advantageously freed from their flavour by boiling; a decoction of sassafras, boiled down to the consistence of an extract, proves simply bitterish and subastringent. Hoffman assures us, that he has frequently given this extract to the quantity of a scruple at a time, with remarkable success, for strengthening the tone of the viscera in cachexies; as also in the decline of intermittent fevers, and in hypochondriacal spasms. Sassafras yields in distillation an extremely fragrant oil, of a penetrating pungent taste, so ponderous (notwithstanding the lightness of the drug itself) as to sink in water. Rectified spirit extracts the whole taste and smell of sassafras: and elevates nothing in evaporation: hence the spirituous extract proves the most elegant and efficacious preparations, as containing the virtue of the root entire.

The only official preparation of sassafras is the essential oil. The sassafras itself is an ingredient in the decoction of the woods and the compound lime waters, and the oil in the elixir guaiacum.