FAMILIES OF FLOWEKING PLANTS 151 



Phjllantlius (leaf flower) is a large tropical genus, named from the 

 circumstance tliat the flowers in some of its species are borne on leaf- 

 like, flattened branches called 'phyllodadia. Though the genus con- 

 tains over 400 species, none are of any economic importance. Many 

 are weeds of waste places in the tropics. 



The genus Croton is represented in our country by numerous rank 

 weeds in the South and West, often called goatweeds. The herbage in 

 most of the species is covered with stellate hairsy giving the plants a 

 silvery or even woolly appearance. The so-callod crotons of cultiva- 

 tion belong tn an entirely different genus ((7oc?iae?fw). The most im- 

 portant member of the genus is C. Tiglium, native of the East Indian 

 archipelago, the seeds of which yield croton oil, a powerful purgative. 

 Many species possess tonic and aromatic properties, like the West In- 

 dian C. Eluteria, from which cascarilla bark is obtained. C. hacciferiim 

 and C. Draco yield a resin used in varnish-making. 



The tribe Acalypheae includes a number of genera, Acalypha, the 

 type, containing the now familiar " chenille plant " of cultivation, with 

 long drooping crimson spikes of staminate flowers. The stringwood of 

 the island of St. Helena, now known to be quite extinct, was A. rubra. 

 3IaUotus Philippinensis, a tree of the Polynesian and Philippine regions, 

 bears capsules covered with a red powder, from which is obtained a 

 brilliant orange dye well known in India by the name Kamala. The 

 genus Tragia, with several American species, has stinging hairs like 

 those of nettles, which the plants strongly resemble. The castor oil 

 bean {Ricinus communis) is too familiar an object in cultivation to re- 

 quire descrii^tion. Its highly ornamental seeds are susceptible of a 

 fine polish. 



In the tribe Jatropheae we have the genus Jatropha, several spe- 

 cies of which yield medicinal oils, also Aleu.rites Moluccana, the candle- 

 berry tree of the South Pacific islands. The seeds of this tree burn 

 with great freedom on account of their large percentage of oil. They 

 are also used as an article of food. 



To the native in South America, manioc or cassava is as important 

 as wheat to the northerner, as it forms his staple diet. Various spe- 

 cies of Manihot yield cassava, which is obtained by grinding or pound- 

 ing the root after the poisonous juice which it contains has been ex- 

 pelled by pressure. 



The tribe Hippomaneae contains the West Indian manchineel 

 {Hiiypomane MajicineUa) one of the most poisonous trees of the family; 

 also the sandbox tree (Hura crepitans), the explosive property of whose 

 fruits has been so often described. 



Finally, there is the genus Euphorbia, the type of the family, em- 

 bracing about 600 species, distributed in all parts of the world. They 



