400 EUPHOKBIACEiE. (SPURGE FAMILY.,) 



Synopsis. 



§ 1. Ovules and seeds solitary in the cells. Flowers monoecious. 

 • Flowers without floral envelopes, enclosed in a common cup-shaped involucre. 



1. EUPHORBIA. Fertile flower solitary in the 4- 5-toothed involucre. Sterile flowers sev- 



eral, each reduced to a single stamen. 



« ♦ Flowers in bracted spikes or racemes ; the upper ones sterile, the lowest fertile. 



*■ Flowers apetalous. 



H+ Stigmas and cells of the capsule 6-7. 



2. HIPPOMANE. Carpels woody, indehiscent. Spikes terminal. Staminate flowers clus 



tered. 



++ H+ Stigmas and cells of the dehiscent capsule 3. 



3. STILLTNGIA. Calyx 2 - 3-toothed. Anthers erect. Staminate flowers clustered. 



4. EXCCECARIA. Calyx 3-parted. Anthers pendulous. Staminate flowers single. 



5. ACALYPHA. Stigmas many-parted. Flowers spiked. Bracts of the pistillate flowers 



leafy, toothed. 



6. TRAGIA. Stigmas 3, simple. Flowers racemed. Bracts small, entire. 



■>- *- Staminate flowers (except No. 1 in Croton), or the pistillate also furnished with petals. 



7- CROTON. Pistillate flowers apetalous, or with minute petals. Stamens 6 or more, distinct. 



8. CROTONOPSIS. Pistillate flowers apetalous. Capsule Icelled. Stamens 5, distinct. 



9. APIIORA. Pistillate and staminate flowers 5 petalled. Capsule 3-ceUed. Stamens 10 



monadelphous. 



* * » Flowers cymose or panicled, apetalous. 



10. CNIDOSCOLUS. Flowers cymose. Calyx white, corolla-like. 



11. RICINUS. Flowers in crowded panicles. Calyx herbaceous. 



^ 2. Ovules, and commonly the seeds, 2 in the cells. 



* Flowers monoecious, apetalous. Ovary 3-celled. Herbs. 



12. PIIYLLANTIIUS. Flowers axillary. Calyx 5 - 6-parted. Stamens 3, monadelphous. 



13. PACHYSANDRA. Flowers spiked. Calyx 4-parted. Stamens 4, distinct. 



* * Flowers dioecious, apetalous. Ovary 2 celled. Shrubs. 



14. DRYPETES. Flowers in axillary clusters. Fruit drupaceous, Icelled, 1-seeded. 



1. EUPHORBIA, L. Spurge. 



Flowers monoecious, destitute of calyx and corolla ; the single pistillate, and 

 several monandrous staminate ones included in a cup-shaped or top-shaped 4 - h- 

 toothed involucre, which has commonly thick and often colored glands between 

 the teeth. Styles 3, 2-cleft. Capsule exserted, 3-celled : carpels 2-valved, 

 1-seeded. — A polymorphous genus of plants with acrid milky juice. 



^ 1 . Leaves without stipules. 

 * Stem erect, iimhellately branched above: involucres solitary, terminal and in the 

 forks of the branches: leaves of the stem alternate, those of the brandies opposite or 

 whorlcd. 

 *- Glands of the involucre 5, uvith white petal-like appendages: leaves entire: peren- 

 nials. 

 1. E. corollata, L. Stem smooth or pubescent, branches 4-6, twice or 

 thrice forking, mostly short and fastigiate ; leaves thick, oblong or oval, obtuse, 

 pale and mostly hairy beneath ; involucres pedicclled ; appendages of the (green/ 



