IPECACUANHA SPURGE. _ 409 
The genus was placed by Linnzus in the 
elass Dodecandria, order Trigynia. Michaux, 
considering as separate male flowers, the bodies 
of stamens which correspond, in number, to the 
nectaries or lacinule, has referred the genus to 
Monecia, Monadelphia. In this he has been 
followed by various American botanists.—In 
natural arrangements this genus is among the 
Tricocew of Linn. and Euphorbiew of Juss. — 
The Euphorbia ipecacuanha is a low, tufted 
plant, growing in sandy soils in the Middle and 
Southern states. Michaux remarks, that the 
plants are sometimes buried in the sand. It is 
a polymorphous vegetable both in its shape and 
colour, the leaves continually differing in their 
outline, even in contiguous | — andthe 
colour varying from green to crimson. 
The root is irregular and fleshy, very singe 
in proportion to the plant it bears, running deep 
into the sand, sometimes, as Mr. Pursh informs 
us, extending to the depth of six feet. The 
stems, from one root, are numerous, erect or 
procumbent, forming large bunches on the 
surface of the ground. They are smooth, regu- 
larly dichotomous, and jointed at the forks. ‘The 
leaves are inserted at the joints, opposite, sessile, 
smooth, having most frequently an oblong shape 
