N. ORD.-EUPHORBIACE. 148 
GENUS.—EU PHORBIA,* LINN. 
SEX. SYST.—MONCECIA MONADELPHIA. 
KUPHORBIA COROLLATA 
FLOWERING SPURGE. 
SYN.—HUPHORBIA COROLLATA, LINN.; TITHYMALUS MARINUS, PLUK. 
COM. NAMES.—FLOWERING SPURGH, BOWMAN’S ROOT, BLOOMING 
SPURGE, WANDERING MILKWEED, SNAKB#’S-MILK, INDIAN PHY- 
SIC, LARGE FLOWERED SPURGE, WILD HIPPO, WILDIPECAC; (FR.) 
EUPHORBE A GARNDES FLEURS; (GER.) GROSSBLUTHIGE WOLFS- 
MILCH. 
TINCTURE OF THE FRESH ROOT OF EUPHORBIA COROLLATA, LINN. 
Description.—This erect perennial herb attains a growth of from 2 to 4 feet, 
appearing to an observer at a distance to be a member of the umbellifere. The 
root is large and branching, sending up a number of simple rounded stems 
glabrous or sometimes sparingly hairy. Leaves ascending, those of the stem 
alternate, of the pedicels opposite, and whorled only at the base of the inflores- 
cence; all ovate-lanceolate or linear, entire, obtuse, equal at the base, sessile or 
nearly so, smooth above, slightly hairy beneath, from one-half to two inches long, and 
one-quarter to one-half inch wide. There are always as many leaves to the inflor- 
escence as there are peduncles or pedicels, and situated at their bases. Stpules 
none. Peduncles generally 5, sometimes fewer, pedicels and their branches many, 
all forming a compound umbel-like bi-sexual inflorescence. /nvolucres (floral) 
numerous, each with 5 showy, obovate, petal-like false lobes; the true lobes 
minute, inflexed, alternate with the false, and cut into 2 deep, narrow, lanceolate 
lacinie. Fertile flowers solitary, one to each umbellet, at length protruding 
beyond its corolla-like involucre. Ovary stalked, 3-lobed, 3-celled, each cell 1- 
seeded. Style 3-branched. S#igmas 6,a pair to each branch of the style. Sterile 
flowers numerous, their many s/amzens successively developing singly, or in pairs 
or trios. Fi/aments stalk-like, surmounted by twin axzthers with globular cells. 
Fruit a smooth 3-carpelled, 6-valved pod. Seeds thick, ashen, with a nearly even 
surface. The natural order is described under E. hypericifolia, 147. 
History and Habitai.—The flowering spurge is a favorite medicine among 
the aborigines of America, being used as a purgative; its action as such 
* Euphorbus (physician to King Juba), who introduced Euphorbia, 
