374 NORTH BRAZILIAN EUPHORBIACE.E 



Jatropha. 



^ _ 



There are only two species of this genus in the collection, both well 

 known, and widely diffused, viz., the /, gossypifolia^ Linn., from wasfe 

 grounds, near Para, distributed as /. moUissima^ Mart, (which is pro- 

 bably a mere variety), and /. muUifida^ Linn., from the Igarape de 

 Mahica, near Santarem. 



The Cureas purgans^ Medik., was also gathered near Santarem, 

 where it is called Fium by the Brazilians. 



Croton, 



From this vast genus numerous species have of late been detached 

 by Dr. Klotzsch, in various separate papers on Euphorbiace(k of different 

 countries, without any indication of the limits to which he would con- 

 fine Croton itself; until, therefore, he has given a comprehensive sketch 

 of the whole series, it is difficult to decide on the value of the genera he 

 proposes. The petals of the female flowers are always rudimentary or 

 very small, and their presence or absence would appear to be of little 

 importance ; and even the aestivation of the lobes of the calyx, and the 

 degree with which they are united, does not seem to be of so rauca 

 value in this as in other cases. Without denying that many of his di- 

 visions may prove useful for adoption, as sections, or even in some 

 cases as really good genera, I shall, however, for the present, in the 

 following enumeration, include them all under the original name of 

 Croton^ reserving for a future occasion a general review of the genus, 

 should it not in the meantime be made bv some other hand. 

 1. G . palamostigma , KL in Lond. Journ. Bot. vol. ii. p, 48. 

 From the capoeiras near Barra do Eio Negro. A smaller variety 

 from the same place was distributed as Croton^ n. 3. If this and the 

 three following species are true Crotons, surely the Cydostigma recently 

 proposed by Klotzsch cannot be a good genus. 



2. C. caryopJiyllus, sp. n. ; arborescens, foliis magais Qvatis oblongisve 

 basi rotundatis subintegerrimis utrinque scabris subtus pallidis, glan-' 

 dulls baseos 2 scutellatis, spicis longis terminalibus, floribus masculis 

 glonieratis 10-12-andris, fcemineis ad basin spicae v. in glomeruhs 

 masculis inferioribus solitariis, calyce 5-fido valvato patent e, petalis 

 minutis v. nuUis, styli laciniis ter bifidis radiantibus. — Affinis Cpala^ 

 tno$llgmati^ differt tomento fere ad tubercula reducto, foliis angustio- 



