Illicium Religiosum

A Japanese species, which reaches the size

of a small tree, and is held sacred by the Japanese, who form

wreaths of it with which to decorate the tombs of their deceased

friends, and they also burn the fragrant bark as incense. Their

watchmen use the powdered bark for burning in graduated tubes, in

order to mark the time, as it consumes slowly and uniformly. The

leaves are said to possess poisonous properties.