APPENDIX A 



629 



are exstipulate. but that is not general for the Family. The inflorescence is 

 very complicated, the apparent unit being the flower-like cyathium, which is 

 itself a very compact, compound spike (Fig. 479, 1. 11.). These units are 

 borne like flowers on an inflorescence, which is usually a cymose umbel. The 

 cyathium itself consists of an external cup, which looks like a calyx, but is 

 really formed of five coalescent bracts, forming an involucre. On its margin four, 

 or occasionally five, yellowish glands are borne, a blank space being left on 

 one side ; there two teeth of the bracts are found, where the missing gland 



Fig. 479' 



Euphorbia Lathy 7 -us, L. I. flowering shoot. II. a single cvathium. III. Cyathium 

 th involucre removed. IV. same in section. V. the involucre. VI. a single male 



wi 



flower. VII. ripe seed with caruncle. 



cyathium. 



\ III. same in section. IX. diagram of a 



might be. Within the cyathium a single stalked female flower occupies the 

 centre : it projects from the cup, and hangs over the side between the two 

 bracts which are not separated by a gland. It consists of a gynoecium of three 

 syncarpous carpels, having three styles with bifid stigmas. It is trilocular, and 

 one pendulous, anatropous ovule lies in each : the upward-directed micropyle 

 is covered by a fleshy outgrowth known as the caruncle, which is character- 

 istic. At the base of the ovary is a distended ring, held to represent the 

 abortive perianth. The gynoecium is thus superior. 



Around the female flower are a number of structures which look like stamens : 

 they are associated with minute hairy bracts. Each of these is a male flower 



