Drimys
(from drimys, acrid, or drimytes, sharpness; referring to the taste of bark). SYN. Wintera. Including Tasmannia. ORD. Magnoliaceoe. A genus of five species, one of which is South American, two Australasian, and one each from New Zealand and Borneo. Fine evergreen half-hardy trees, with aromatic bark, and axillary and terminal flowers. D. Winteri, the species most frequently seen in cultivation, grows freely, but requires a little management in training, and the long branches will need cutting back. It succeeds out of doors when planted in sandy loam against a wall, if the winters are not severe. Propagated by cuttings, made of half-ripened shoots, inserted under a glass, in a cold frame.
D. aromatica (aromatic). fl. white, pink, dioecious; sepals three, very concave; petals six, in two rings, or occasionally eight. April. fr. globose, sub-didymous. l. oblong, gradually tapering at base along the petiole, light green, distinctly marked with transparent dots, veinless on the under side. h. 9ft. to 12ft. Tasmania, 1843. Every part of the plant is highly aromatic and pungent to the taste. The fruit is occasionally used as pepper. (B. R. 1845, 43, under name of Tasmannia aromatica.) D. Winteri (Winter's).* fl. milk-white, 1in. or more across, with a Jasmine-like perfume; petals eight to twelve; peduncles almost simple, aggregate, divided into elongated pedicels. l. oblong, obtuse; under surface glaucous. h. 25ft. South America, 1827. SYN. Wintera aromatica. (B. M. 4800.)