692 EUPHORBIACEAE 
b. Branches spreading or recurved : sepals 5. 
Staminate flowers with orbicular outer sepals: pedicels of the staminate 
flowers not thickened above. 3. P. Niruri. 
Staminate flowers with ovate outer sepals: pedicels of the staminate flow- 
ers much thickened above. 4. P. abnormis. 
B. Perennial species : stems clustered on the rootstock. 
Leaf-blades of an oblong sype. 
Leaves mostly thrice as long as broad : Floridian species. 5. P. Garberi. 
Leaves mostly twice as long as broad : Texan species. 6. P. Drummondii. 
Leaf-blades of an obovate or cuneate type. 
Stems naked, with internodes longer than the leaves. 7. P. radicans. 
Stems leafy with internodes shorter than the leaves. 8. P. polygonoides, 
1. Phyllanthus Aviculària Small. Annual, or perhaps also perennial, bright green. 
Stems simple or sparingly branched near the base and above, 3-6 dm. long, pubescent, 
striate in age: leaves ascending ; blades oblong, or slightly broadest above the middle, 8- 
18 mm. long, blunt or barely pointed, slightly paler beneath than above, rounded or trun- 
cate at the base; petioles 1 mm. long or shorter: calyx short-pedicelled ; staminate 
delicate, barely 2 mm. broad, the sepals orbicular-obovate or suborbicular ; pistillate firmer, 
fully 2 mm. broad or barely 3 mm. at maturity, the sepals oblong or oval, scarious-mar- 
gined, persistent : capsules spheroidal, 3 mm. broad. 
In dry soil, Texas and northern Mexico. Summer and fall. 
2. Phyllanthus Carolinénsis Walt. Annual, dark green, glabrous. Stem slender, 
erect or ascending, 1-5 dm. high, simple or branched, the branches 2-ranked : leaves rather 
numerous ; blades obovate or nearly oblong, 6-20 mm. long, obtuse, narrowed to a very 
short petiole, or nearly sessile: flowers inconspicuous, nearly sessile in the axils: sepals 
linear-cuneate or oblong-cuneate: capsules about 2 mm. broad: seeds 1-1.5 mm. long, 
marked with lines and minute papille. 
In sandy or gravelly soil and moist woods, Pennsylvania to Illinois, Florida, Texas and Central 
America. Spring to fall. 
3. Phyllanthus Nirüri L. Annual, glabrous. Stems erect or ascending, 1-3 dm. 
tall, the branches 3-10 cm. long, spreading or recurving : leaves alternate ; blades thin, 
oblong or slightly broadest above the middle, 3-10 mm. long, obtuse, short-petioled, ap- 
proximate on the branchlets: pedicels about 1 mm. long: sepals orbicular or oval, barely 
1 mm. long, the outer ones orbicular, all abruptly pointed : capsules 3-lobed, about 2 mm. 
broad, smooth : seeds about 1 mm. long. 
In sand, peninsular Florida and the Keys. Also in tropical America. Spring to winter. 
4. Phyllanthus abnórmis Baill. Annual, bright green. Stem erect or ascending, 
2-4 dm. tall, more or less branched near the top, the short branches idee or ascend- 
ing: leaves alternate; blades thick, oblong or nearly so, 3-7 mm. long, obtuse, nearly 
sessile : sepals ovate, the outer somewhat broader than the inner, fully 1 mm. long: cap- 
sules manifestly depressed, 2-2.5 mm. broad, smooth : seeds fully 1 mm. long. 
In sand or coral rock, Florida Keys. Spring to winter. § 
5. Phyllanthus Gárberi Small. Perennial, glabrous, glaucescent. Stems branched 
at the base, the branches ascending or decumbent, 1-3 dm. long, more or less again 
branched : leaves alternate ; blades thickish, oblong or nearly so, 6-8 mm. long, obtuse or 
retuse at the apex, flat, abruptly narrowed or truncate at the base: pedicels about 1 mm. 
long, enlarged upward : sepals oblong, ovate or oval, 0.5—0.8 mm. long, those of the PG 
nate flowers much more delicate than those of the pistillate : capsules spheroidal, 2.5- 
mm. broad, smooth : seeds nearly 1.5 mm. long, smooth. 
In sand, peninsular Florida. Spring. 
6. Phyllanthus Drummóndii Small. Perennial, deep green. Stems branched sf 
the base, the branches erect or ascending, 0.5-2.5 dm. long, sparingly branched, rather 
wiry : leaves numerous ; blades oblong or nearly so, 3-6 mm. long, about twice as long a8 
wide, obtuse, nearly sessile: pedicels about 0.5 mm. long: sepals suborbicular or ova- 
orbicular, barely 1 mm. long, those of the staminate flowers somewhat smaller and more 
delicate than those of the pistillate flowers : capsules spheroidal, about 2 mm. broad : seeds 
fully 1 mm. long. 
On sandy banks, middle and southern Texas. Spring to fall. 
7. Phyllanthus radicans (Muell. Arg.) Small  Perennial, glabrous. ane 
numerous, tufted, 0.5-3 dm. long, wire-like, ascending or decumbent, rather rigid : gain 
alternate; blades thin, oblong, cuneate or oval, 3-8 mm. long, slightly revolute, pa 
beneath, usually approximate on the branchlets : sepals oblong-oval or ovate, barely cepe 
long, obtuse: capsules spheroidal, 1-1.3 mm. broad : seeds nearly 1 mm. long. [Fe 
var. radicans Muell. Arg.] 
In sand, peninsular Florida and the Keys, and in Cuba. Spring to winter. 
