EUPHORBIACE^. 



335 



P, ceraTOPHY'llum. Mx. Lacis ceratophylla. Bongard. 



ic«cf5 dichotomously Aissecied ; flowers solitary, axillary. Stem a few 

 inches lono-, usually destitute of roots and attached to stones by lateral, fleshy 

 processes. ° Leaves numerous, alternate, coriaceous, divided into many narrow 

 seo-ments. Flowers on short, thick peduncles, the 2 stamens and styles at 

 length burstino- through the lacerated calyx. In shallow running streams. 

 Mass. July. ° ° Thread-Jool. 



ORDER CXXIII. F.UPHORBIACE^. 



jrjs. — Monrecious or dioecious. C'al. inferior, lobed, or wanting.^ 

 Cor. — Petals or scales equal in number to llie sepals, or wanting.- 

 Sterile fl.— Sta. definite or indefinite, distinct or raortadelphoii'?.^ Anth. 2-celled. 

 Fertile fl.— Oi-a. free, of -2— 9, more or less united carpels, coherent to a central prolon- 

 gation of the axis. iSfytej distinct, often S-clelt. 

 Fr. — Capsule of 3 dehiscent carpels which open elastically • 

 k'd. — "With a large embryo in fleshy albumen. 



A lar^e order of herbs, .shrubs or trees, often with an anrid milk. Leaves opposite or 

 alternate, simple. They are chiefly natives of South America, not more than oO species of 

 its 1500 being Ibund in N. America. . . v.- n ■ i 



Properiief. An acrid, stimulant and poisonous principle, residmg chietly in the milty 

 juice, pervades the whole order. This principle varies in activity Irom mild sUmulants to 

 the most active poisons ; but it is volatile and easilv expelled by heat. Tapiocais a starch- 

 like accumulation formed in the roots of the Jatropa Manihot. When fresh, this root is a 

 violent poison, but loses its deleterious properties by washing and c.xposure to heat._ 

 Castor-oil is expressed from the seed.s of Ricinus communis, Croton-oil Irom the seeds ot 

 Croton Tiglium. Caoutchouc is yielded in abundance by several S. American species. 



Conspectus of the genera. 



I Fls.monandrous, in .small, involiicrate heads. Euphorbia. 4 



( Lvs. undivided, | Flowers in spikes Acalijp/ia. ji 



Herbaceous. | Leaves peltiite-palniate Ktnniis. 2 



Shrubs with smooth, simple, evergreen, opposite leaves huxics. 1 



1, BUXUS. 

 Flowers moncecious. 5/en7e.— Calyx 3-leaved; petals 2; 

 stamens 4, with the rudiment of an ovary. Fcrlile. — Calyx 

 4-leaved; petals 3; styles 3; capsule with 3 beaks and 3 



cells; seeds 2. 



The Greek name of this plant was (p^los. Shrubs. Leaves evergreen, 

 opposite. 



B. sempervi'rens. — Le«cc50vate ; petioles hn'try atedge ; anthers ova.le , 

 sao-ittate. Variety anmistifol'm has narrow, lanceolate leaves. Variety 

 ,w/ra?iccsa, the dwarf box, has obovate leaves and a stem scarcely woody, 

 highly esteemed for edgings in gardens. The box, with its varieties is na- 

 tive of Europe. "'^^■ 



2. RI'CINUS. 

 Flowers monoecious. S/erj/e.— Calyx 5parted ; stamens 

 many. Fer/j7e.— Calyx 3-parted ; styles 3,2-cleft 5 capsules 

 cchinate, 3-celled, 3-secded. 



Lat, ricinus, an insect, which the fruit of these plants resemble. Herbs 

 and shrubs with peltate, palmate leaves, 



R. COMMo'nis, — Stem frosted, herbaceous ; leaves peltate, palmate, lobes 

 lanccokte, serrate; capsules prickly. Native of the E. Indies, where it be- 



