Euphorbiaceae.) THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS, 327 
of Choulmoogra of Dr. Roxburgh, but without either flowers or fruit, are also placed 
here, Cat. n. 7998, though he has indicated its affinity to Capparidee. 
Cicca, Xylophylla, and Excecaria, are common to the tropical parts of Asia and of 
America; while Phyllanthus, Croton, Jatropha, Acalypha, Tragia, Sapium, and Dalec- 
hampia, exist in these, as well as in Africa; and Briedelia, Cluytia, Crozophora, and 
Ricinus, in the latter, as well as India, and, except the first, also in Arabia: the two 
last send species to the south of Europe. Euphorbia has the extensive distribution of 
the order, both in hot and cold countries: in India we have species of the genus, both 
in the plains and mountains. But those at the foot of the latter are conspicuous for their 
size and cactus-like appearance, while those growing at any considerable elevation are 
either annuals, or have great root-stocks, which are protected by their situation from 
the cold of winter. 
The plants of this family extending to the most northern parts of India, are the more 
common species of Euphorbia and Phyllanthus ; and on the banks of the Jumna, some 
which spread up from the Peninsula; with Zragia cannabina, Acalypha indica, and 
Crozophora plicata. Croton polyandrum is very common there, and called by the same 
name, jumalgotta, as C. Tiglium, which is only found in Goalpara, and thence in 
Tavoy, &c., and the Moluccas. The arboreous species are, Emblica officinalis, Fluggea 
retusa and virosa, Rottlera renee, nob. (R. tinctoria? Roxb.), Andrachne trifoliata, Roxbi 
Briedelia montana, Jatropha Curcas, near Hurdwar, and Ricinus communis. 
Those which ascend the mountains are species of Phyllanthus, as P. cordata, with 
others in Nepal and Kemaon: several new Euphorbias, the only genus of which species 
are found in Kunawur. Glochidion bifaria, nob., is found at Jurreepanee, and is very 
common in the Himalayas. Acalypha tenera, nob., is only found during the moisture of 
the rainy season, as high as 7,000 feet ; with two shrubby species, Sarcococca pruniformis 
and mepalensis, which are allied to Tricera of America, and to Pachysandra of the 
Alleghanys, as well as Burus, to all which they have been referred by different botanists; 
though generally tetrandrous and tetrasepalous, I have frequently seen it triandrous and 
trisepalous. But a true species of Buus is common in these mountains, found chiefly in 
vallies, as at Mugra, and near Khalsee, as well as in Kemaon. It grows to a consider- 
able size and thickness, and tin wood nh somes as compact and good as that a the 
common box. 
The properties of Indian Euphorbiacee correspond with those which have been 
observed in plants of this family in other parts of the world. All abound in a milky 
juice, which contains Caoutchouc, and is generally united with a highly acrid prin- 
ciple of a very volatile nature, and therefore easily dissipated by heat. According to 
the degree of concentration of this principle is the innocuous or deadly nature of the 
substance with which it is combined. Thusthe seeds of some Luphorbiacee, in which 
it exists in small quantity, are eaten ; as those of Aleurites ambinur, and of A. triloba, 
in India: the fruit of Cicca disticha is acid, as is that of Emblica officinalis, forming 
Emblic myrobolans: Though united with fecula in the roots of Janipha Manihot or the 
Cassava, 
