210 



EUPHORBIACEAE. 



5. RICINTJS L. 



A tall stout monoecious plant, somewhat woody, glabrous and glaucous, 

 with alternate large peltate palmately lobed leaves, and numerous small 

 apetalous greenish flowers in terminal racemes, the pistillate above the stami- 

 nate. Staminate flowers with a 3-5-parted calyx, the segments valvate, and 

 numerous crowded stamens; filaments repeatedly branched. Pistillate flowers 

 with a caducous calyx. Capsule subglabose, or oval, separating into 3 2-valved 

 carpels. Endosperm fleshy and oily. [The Latin name of the plant.] A 

 monotypie genus of the warmer parts of Africa and Asia. 



1. Bicinus communis L. 



CASTOR-OIL PLANT. CASTOR- 

 BEAN. PALMA CHRISTI. (Fig. 

 231.) Stem erect, up to 18 

 tall, more or less branched, 

 becoming tree-like in warm 

 regions. Leaves nearly or- 

 bicular in outline, l-2 

 broad, 6-11-palmately lobed 

 and peltate, the lobes 

 toothed, acute or acuminate ; 

 capsule 6"-9" in diameter, 

 usually spiny; seeds shining, 

 smooth, black, variegated 

 with white, or mottled with 

 gray and brown markings. 



In waste places, frequent. 

 Naturalized. Native of trop- 

 ical regions. Widely natural- 

 ized in the southern United 

 States and the West Indies. 

 Flowers nearly throughout the 

 year. 



6. JATKOPHA L. 



Monoecious or rarely dioecious perennial herbs, or shrubs, with entire, 

 lobed or divided leaves, the flowers in cymes. Staminate flowers on the upper 

 parts of the cymes, with a corolla-like 5-lobed calyx, 5 petals distinct or 

 united or none, the stamens usually numerous (5-30). Pistillate flowers in the 

 lower forks of the cymes; capsule ovoid or subglobose, separating into ! 

 valved carpels. [Greek, healing nutriment.] About 25 species, widely dis- 

 tributed in warm and temperate regions. Type species: Jatropha urens L. 



