Stenadenium. | CXXII. EUPHORBIACEH (BROWN), 449 
base, and cut into a fringe of filiform segments at the top, with an 
erect oblong entire lobe outside and behind, glandular at its apex and 
overtopping the fringe. Stamens (really male flowers, as in Huphorbia, 
without a perianth) numerous, in 5 groups, contained in 5 pocket-like 
cavities at the base of each lobe of the involucre, not mingled with 
bracteoles, but the membranous partitions separating the groups and 
surrounding the pedicel of the female flower are produced into a few 
filiform pubescent segments ; anthers small, rather broader than long. 
Ovary (really a female flower, as in Huphorbia) without a perianth 
at its base, pedicellate, surrounded by the stamens, exserted from 
the opening in front of the involucre and recurved, 3-celled, with 
one ovule pendulous from the apex of the inner angle of each 
cell; styles 3, united below, free above. Capsule 3-angled. Seeds 
oblong, truncate at each end, 4-angled, carunculate.—A succulent 
shrub with spiny branches, apparently leafless at the time of flowering. 
Leaves alternate, not seen. Flowers in dense many-flowered cymes 
on stout peduncles. Bracts in pairs, connate at the base into 
an oblique cup-like 2-lobed body (bract-cup) enclosing the involucres 
or nearly free and embracing the branches at the forkings of the 
cyme, keeled on the back. 
Species 1, endemic. 
The structure of the involucre of this remarkable plant clearly demonstrates the 
fact that the involucre of Euphorbia and allied genera is formed by the fusion of 
two series of bracts. In Stenadenium the outer series is reduced to one bract which 
is free nearly to the base, the greater part of the involucre being formed by the inner 
Series alone, 
1. S. spinescens, Pax in Engl. Jahrb. xxx. 343. A succulent 
shrub 6-9 ft. high, spiny, leafless at the time of flowering. Branches 
3-} in. thick, glabrous, armed under each leaf-scar with 3 spreading 
light brown spines, middle one }-4 in. long, very stout, usually slightly 
recurved, lateral pair smaller, sometimes obsolete, usually 1-34 lin. 
long. Leaves not seen. Peduncles 2-3 at the apex of the branches, 
erect, 3-4} in. long, flattened, acutely 2-edged, 23-44 lin. broad, with 
® pair of widely spreading spines at the apex, glabrous, terminating 
in 1 or 2 repeatedly forked dense cymes 13-2} in. in diam., with 
puberulous branches 4 in. thick. Bracts about } in. long, 2-3} lin. 
broad, broadly ovate, obtuse, apiculate, keeled down the back, 
puberulous on both sides, apparently whitish, those enclosing the 
involucres connate for about half their length behind, the others more 
or less free and the pair at the base of the cyme adnate to a short stout 
Spine immediately beneath. Involucre 5-34 ]lin. long, white-pubescent, 
with the segments of the marginal fringe 14-2 lin. long, and the 
entire dorsal lobe or gland 2-24 lin. long and 1} lin. broad, oblong, 
broadly rounded or subtruncate at the apex, puberulous. Ovary and 
capsule exserted and recurved. the former white-tomentose, the latter 
3 lin. long, 3 lin. in diam., oblong, somewhat truncate at each end, 
acutely 3-angled, puberulous ; styles 14 lin. long, united at. the base, 
thickened and bifid at the apex, pubescent. 
VOL, VI.— SECT, 1 2G 
