CLASS MONCECIA. 



199 



ilar appearance, having flattened green branchlets set 

 with imbricated, minute leaves, in 4 rows. It bears 

 small and nearly spherical, angular cones. It grows 

 in mossy swamps in such abundance often, as to give 

 its name to such morasses. The C. distichn, differs 

 from all the other known species in having deciduous 

 leaves, flat and thin, arranged in 2 rows or distichous : — 

 its sterile florets are disposed in leafless panicles ; and 

 the cones large and spherical. Its character is so 

 different from other species, that Mirbel forms of it a 

 peculiar genus, called Schubertia. It grows in deep 

 mossy swamps, from Sussex county in Delaware to 

 the coasts of the Gull of Mexico, and is one of the 

 largest of the American forest trees. It is much used 

 for shingles, and has a remarkable property of sending 

 up branches of its roots, sometimes several feet above 

 the surface, in a conic form, called Cypress Knees, 

 which are always destitute of leaves and branchlets. 



The genus Ricinus, Pahna Christi, or Castor Oil 

 plant, now often cultivated in the United States for the 

 drug it affords, and not uncommon in our gardens, has 

 no corolla to the flower. That which produces the 

 stamens has a 5-parted calyx. The filaments are di- 

 vided into many subordinate branches, with numerous 

 anthers. The fertile flower has a 3- parted calyx ; 3 

 bifid styles, and a bristly, 3-celled capsule, containing 

 3, elastically coated, spotted, or marbled seeds, a kind 

 of fruit common to all the other Euphorbiace^:. Our 

 common species (R. communis) has large peltate, 

 palmated leaves, toothed on the margin, of a glaucous 

 hue beneath, and with glands on the petioles. This 

 plant, with us an annual, is in the West Indies a per- 

 manent shrub. 



Of the Cucurbitaceje, or Cucumber tribe, is our 

 common scandent or climbing plant Sycios angulata, 

 or single seeded Cucumber, peculiar to the United 



