488 CXXI. EUPHORBIACEiE. Croton. 



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

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

 mucronate ; ped. axillary, 2 or 3 times dichotomous ; involucrate bracts scarlet. 

 — A singular and showy garden plant. 



2. ACALt"PHA. 

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



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

 Calyx 3-parted, segments connivent, persistent; styles 3, elongated, 

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

 Lvs. alternate. 



A. ViRGiNiCA. Three-seeded Mercury. 



Pubescent, branched; Ivs. petiolate, oblong-lanceolate, serrate ; invol. of 

 the fertile 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 — 2^' long, | as wide, hairy, ob- 

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

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

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



0. (A. Caroliniana. Walt.) Lis. rhombic-ovate, on long petioles. — Penn. 

 to Ind. ! 



3. RICL^US. 



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



Flowers c?. — d" 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 Ivs. 



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

 white, herbaceous ; Ivs. 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 purpose it is exten- 

 sively cultivated in the U. S. July, Aug. i^ 



4. CROTON OP SIS. Michx. 



Named from its resemblance (^oxpii) to the next genus below. 



Flowers S' . — cf Calyx 5-parted ; cor. of 5 petals ; stamens 5. 9 

 Calyx 5-parted ; cor. ; stig. 3, twice bifid ; caps. 1-seeded, indehis- 

 cent. — ® Lvs. alternate, stellately pubescent and shining. Fls. aggre- 

 gate, the upper ones sterile. 



C. LINEARIS. Michx. 



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

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

 to Car. end 111. Nut/all. Stem 12—18' high, and like the leaves sprinkled with 

 silvery, shining scales. Leav^es on short petioles, linear-lanceolate or lance- 

 ovate. Flov\'ers very minute, in terminal and axillary spikes. June. 



5. CROTON. 



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



Flowers c?. — d" Calyx cylindrical, 5-toothed ; cor. of 5 petals or ; 

 sta. 10 — 15. 9 Calyx 5 — many-sepaled ; cor. 0'; styles 3 or 6, bi- 

 fid : capsule of 3, coherent, 1-seeded carpels. — A large genus, mostly 

 tropical.^ and inconspicuous iceeds. 



1. C. CAPITATL-M. Michx. 



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

 bapr, elofhed with soft tomentnm on both surfaces; fi-rtile fi^. at the base of the 



