428 KL I'UOUBIACEiE. (SPURGE FAMILY.) 



5. EXCCECARIA, L. 



Mainlv like the two procediiijj, Imt tlie fruit llcshy or baccate, the seeds not 

 cjiruiKulatc, nfieii enveloped in a spongy or fatty coat, and the sterile tiowers 

 diandroiis. — Sliruhs or trees. 



1. E. sebifera, Mull. Arborescent; leaves long-petioled, rhomhoidal, 

 acuminate, entire; spikes terminal, densely flowered; sterile flowers pedi- 

 cellfd ; calvx 4-toothed ; .stamens2; cai)sule ruuixliish ; seeds white. — Georgia 

 and Soutli Carolina, near the ct>iu>*t; introduced from China. June -July. — 

 A tree 20°-40° higii. * 



6. ACALYPHA, L. 



Flowers monoecious, apetalous, in a.\illary and terminal spikes. Staminate 

 •flowers clustered, minutely bracted. Calyx 4-parted. Stamens 8-16, with 

 the filaments united at the base ; anthers jjendulous. Pistillate flowers at the 

 biise of the stamiuate ones, or on .separate .spike.s, surrounded J)y a leafy 

 toothed bract. Calyx 3-parted. Styles 3, many-cleft. Capside roundish, of 

 three 1-celled, 1-seeded, 2-valved carpels. — Herbs, with watery juice, and al- 

 ternate serrate leaves. 



« Staminate and pistillate flowers on the same spike. 



1. A. Virginica, L- Annual, smoothish or hairy; stem erect, branched ; 

 leaves thin, lonji-jietioled, rhombic-ovate or oblong-ovate, acute, coarsely ser- 

 rate above the middle ; staminate spikes few-flowered, mostly shorter than the 

 large 5 - 9-lobed bracts, w ith 1-3 pi.stillate flowers at the base ; capsule pubes- 

 cent. — Fields and around dwellings. July -Sept. — Stem l°-2° high. 

 Leaves, with the i)etiole, 4' -5' long. 



Var. gracilens, Miill. Stemslender, 6'-l8'high; leaves smaller, lance- 

 olate, ol)Scurelv serrate or entire; stamiuate spikes longer than the serrate or 

 toothed bracts. — Sterile soil. July - Sept. 



2. A. Chamaedrifolia, Mull. Perennial; stems several from a thick 

 and woody root, prostrate, pubescent, 8imj)le or sparingly branched; leaves 

 short-petioled, ovate and oblong, obtuse, crenate, hairy; pistillate flowers nu- 

 merous, crowded at the base of the slender staminate spike, each surrounded 

 by a round-o\ate hairy toothed bract ; capsule bristly ; seed ovoid, smooth. — 

 South Florida. — Stems 4' -6' long. Leaves rigid, 6" -8" long. Spikes 

 mostly terminal. 



* * Staminate and pistillate flowers on separate spiles. 



3. A. Lindheimeri, Miill. Stem (l°high) branching, hirsute ; leaves 

 rhombic-ovate, .serrate, short-petioled «(1' long); spikes very slender ; bracts 

 of the numerous pistillate flowers ovate, deeply 5 - 7-toothed, 1 - 2-flowered ; 

 ovary hirsute ; styles long, setaceously 4 - 6-cleft ; seeds minutely pitted. — 

 Key West (liiddell in Herb. Mohr). 



4. A. Caroliniana, Walt. Annual ; stem erect, much branched, pubes- 

 cent; leaves tliin, smooth, cordate-ovate, sharply serrate, long-pctioled ; stami- 

 nate sjiike lateral, small, the minute white flowers pedicelled ; pistillate spike 

 terminal, stout, many-flowered ; bracts cut into several subulate lobes ; capsule 

 bristly ; seeds silvery, pitted. — Cultivated ground. July - Sept. — Stem 1°- 

 2° high. Leaves 2' -3' long. 



