fm CXXI. EUPHORBIACEiE. Croto!^ 



16. E. PUNicEA. Scarlet or Splendid Euphorbia. — S/!. suffruticose, fleshy, armed 

 with rigid, sharp thorns ; Ivs. ovate, tapering to the base, glabrous, entire, acute, 

 raucronate; ped. axillary, 2 or 3 times dichotomous ; involiccrate bracts scarlet. 

 — A singular and showy garden plant. 



2. ACALtTHA. 



The Greek name for the nettle, which this plant resembles. 



Fls. S. — c? Calyx 3 — 4-parted ; sta. 8 — 16, united at base. — 9 

 Calyx 3-parted, segtffents coiinivent, persistent; styles 3, elongated^ 

 2 — 3-parted ; caps. 3-eelled, cells 1 -seeded. — Herbaceous or shrubby 

 Lvs. alternate. 



A. ViRGiNic.4. Three-seeded Mercury. 



Pubessent, branched; lvs. petiolate, oblong-lanceolate, serrate ;" mwZ. of 

 the iertile flowers cordate, broad-ovate, acuminate, veined and toothed.- — In 

 dry and gravely soils, U. S. and Can., rare in N. Eng. Stem erect or ascend- 

 ing at base, 10 — 18' high. Leaves 3-veined, 1 — 2i' long, i as v/ide, hairy, ob- 

 tusish. Pistillate flower at the base of the peduncle af the staminate spike. 

 iSnvolucrum of the fruit axillary, on a short stalk, shorter than the leaves, its 

 margin cut half way down into long, acute segments. Aug. 



p. (A. Caroliniana, Wall.) Lvs. rhombic-ovate,, on long petioles. — Penn.. 

 to Ind. ! 



3. RICINUS. 



Lat. riciniis, an insect, v/hich the fruit of these plants resemble. 



Mo\^ers c?. — (? Calyx 5-parted.; sta. many. 9 Calyx 3-parted; 

 sty. 3, 2-cleft ; caps, echinate, 3-celled, 3-seeded. — Herbs and shrubs 

 with peltate, palmate lvs. 



R. COMMUNIS. Castor-oil Dean. Palma Christi. — St. frosted or glaucous, 

 white, herbaceous ; lvs. peltate, palmate, lobes lanceolate, serrate ; caps, prick- 

 ly. — Native of the E. Indies, where it becomes a tree, although an herbaceous 

 annual with us. In our gardens it is a tall, .smooth plant of a light bluish- 

 green color. Leaves 4 — 12" diam., on long petioles. From its seeds is ex- 

 pressed the well known castor oil of the shops. For this purpo.se it is exten- 

 sively cultivated in the U. S. July, Aug. J 



4. C R OT O N O P S I S. Michx. ' 



Named from its resemblance (oi//if) to the ne.xt genus below. 



Flowers <?. — c? Calyx 5-parted; cor. of 5 petals; stamens 5. 9 

 Calyx S-pai-ted ; cor. ; stig. 3, twice bifid ; caps. 1 -seeded, indehis- 

 eent. — ■© Lvs. alternate, stellately pubescent aiul shining. Fls. aggre- 

 gate, the upper ones sterile. 



C. LINEARIS. Michx. 



St. erect, dichatomously branched ; lvs. clothed with a stellate pubescence 

 above, with hairs and shining scales beneath. — In the sandy swamps of N. J. 

 to Car. and 111. Nuttall. Stem 12 — 18' high, and like the leaves sprinkled with 

 silvery, shining scales. Leaves on short petioles, linear-lanceolate or lance- 

 ovate. Flowers very minute, in terminal and axillary spikes. June. 



5. C ROT ON. 



A Greek name, synonymous with the Lat. rieinus. See genus No. 3. 



Flowers S . — d^ Calyx cylindrical, 5-tootlied ; cor. of 5 petals or ; 

 sta. 10 — 15. 9 Calyx 5 — many-sepaled ; cor. ; styles 3 or 6, bi- 

 fid ; capsule of 3, colierent, 1 -seeded carpels. — A large genus, mostly 

 tropical, and inconspicuous iveeds. 



1. C. CAPiTATUM. Michx. 



St. woolly, tomentose; lvs oval-oblong, obtuse, rounded and entire at the 

 base, clothed with soft tomentum on both surfaces; fertile fls. at the base of the 



