Shrubs or small trees, deciduous. Bark grayish, becoming darker with age. Leaves alternate, aromatic when crushed (at least when young). Leaf blade pinnately veined, membranous to nearly leathery; surfaces glabrous to densely pubescent; domatia absent. Inflorescences appearing before leaves, axillary, clusters (pseudoumbels), clusters subsessile, nearly umbellate, each subtended by 2 pairs of decussate bracts. Flowers unisexual, staminate and pistillate on different plants, a few bisexual flowers on some plants; tepals deciduous, yellow, pellucid-dotted, equal, glabrous. Staminate flowers: stamens 9; anthers 2-locular, 2-valved, introrse. Pistillate flowers: staminodes variously developed; ovary globose. Drupe bright red, ellipsoid to nearly globose, borne on pedicel, with or without persistent tepals at base. x = 12.

Distribution

North America, e Asia.

Discussion

Species ca. 100 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

McCartney, R. D., K. Wurdack, and J. Moore. 1989. The genus Lindera in Florida. Palmetto 9: 3-8.

Steyermark, J. A. 1949. Lindera melissaefolia. Rhodora 51: 153-162.

Wofford, B. E. 1983. A new Lindera from North America. J. Arnold Arbor. 64: 325-331.

Lower Taxa

Lindera benzoin, Lindera melissifolia, Lindera subcoriacea

Key

1	Leaf blade somewhat leathery, larger blades usually less than 8 × 4 cm, young leaves faintly aromatic when crushed, becoming essentially odorless with age.	Lindera subcoriacea
1	Leaf blade membranous, larger blades usually more than 8 × 4 cm, crushed leaves strongly aromatic throughout growing season.	> 2
2	Leaves horizontal to mostly ascending; blade obovate, base cuneate, apex acuminate on larger leaves; fruiting pedicels of previous season not persistent on stem, not conspicously enlarged at apex; shrubs or small trees.	Lindera benzoin
2	Leaves drooping; blade elliptic to ovate, base rounded to widely cuneate, apex acute; fruiting pedicels of previous season persistent on stem, enlarged at apex; low shrubs rarely over 1.5 m.	Lindera melissifolia