terete, succulent, weak, erect, with rather straggling dranches. 
Leaves cordato-ovate, acuminate, with a deep sinus at the base, 
subpeltate, the margin obscurely lobed and more or less dentato- 
serrated. Veins radiating from the base. Petiole one and a 
half to two inches long, a little tinged with purple, as are the 
veins beneath, and generally the under side of the young leaves. 
Peduncles axillary and terminal, cymose, each cyme having gene- 
rally a predominance of either male or female flowers, repeatedly 
dichotomous; dranchlets spreading. Male flowers disepalous, 
sepals cordato- or reniformi-orbicular, white, spreading. Séa- 
mens forming a dense compressed head. Female flowers penta- 
sepalous, each subtended by two, oblong, ciliated, appressed 
bracteas: sepals small, green, oblongo-spathulate, nearly equal. 
Ovary (or young fruit) turbinate, triangular, one of the wings 
elongated, ovato-triquetrous, acute, the two others short. 
Fig. 1. Female flower :—magnified. 
