— DODECANDRIA TRIGYNIA. 467 
led. Petals round-cordate, fringed with a finely ragged. 
margin inserted into the calyx, just under its fissures. Sta- 
mina collected into five fascicles; male florets of about 
five each, which expand in succession, and are sur- 
rounded with an uncertain number of finely divided. pe- 
tals, or scales. Anthers four-lobed, Germ. pedicelled, 
somewhat two-lobed, three-celled, with one seed in each, 
attached to the top of the axis. Style short. Stigma 
three-cleft. . 
This plant is sacred to Munsa, the goddess of ser- 
pents. The root of the tree mixed up with black pepper, 
is employed for the cure of their bites; both internally 
and externally. In the months of July and August, on 
Tuesdays and Saturdays, the natives approach the tree 
with offerings, and pray to Munsa to be preserved from 
the bite of snakes. I suspect this and Euphorbia nerei- 
folia, have hitherto been considered as one species, 
both being quoted for the last by Linnzeus, Burman, &c. 
I have for these fourteen years had both growing in this 
garden, so that I do not hesitate to pronounce them to- 
tally distinct, and clearly marked. 
2. E. nereifolia. Willd. 2. 984. 
Arboreous. Branches round. Thorns stipulary. Leaves 
subsessile, wedge-shaped. Peduncles thiee-flowered. 
-Ela-calli. Rheed. Mal. 2. t. 43. 
Tithimalus — Pluck. 2. t.'330. pc sa 
Bsissendaan bb tilda seu witht eseiadia. 
gular, orcornered, and armed with stipulary spines, namely, E. anti- 
quorum ; and three other East Indian triangular species, one round 
E. nereifolia, five and one-angled ligularia of Rumphius; and ve- 
Ty lately from Pegu, a small, shrubby, tuberous-rooted unarmed 
Species, with similar flowers, has come to my knowledge ; 4 drawing 
ae emer Sheenet prunes this under the name E. sessi- 
flora, » aliases 2 a jzoda to tied 
whe eat wo: “Gg? % 
