188 OF THE INVOLUCRUM. 



fore, were obliged to consider the involucra and i7i- 

 "voliicella, the former accompanying the general and 

 the latter the partial umbels, as a sort of calyx, and 

 the umbel altogether as one aggregate flower, com- 

 posed of florets united by a common radiated recep- 

 tacle. Consequently a cyme must be considered in 

 the same light ; nor are reasons wanting in support 

 of this hypothesis, which we shall consider after 

 having first explained all the parts of fructification. 



In Euphorbia, however, the term bractea would 

 surely be more proper than involucrian or involu- 

 cellum, as is evident from a consideration of the in- 

 florescence of the whole genus, so very diff'erent in 

 different species. In E. Peplts, and many others, 

 . the flowers are solitary and axillary; in others 

 again, as E, amygdaloides, EngL Bot. t. Q56, and 

 Characias, t. 442, some flower-stalks are umbellate, 

 some scattered ; and the subdivisions of the umbel 

 in all are ultimately forked, that is, of a nature be- 

 tween umbellate and scattered. This genus has, 

 moreover, a proper calyx or perianthlum of a 

 most distinct and peculiar nature. Some species of 

 Anemone, a genus destitute of a perianthium, are 

 said by Linnaeus to have an involucrum, as A. Put- 

 satilla, t. 5\y for which the name of bractea might 

 be more correct, though in A. Hepatica, Curt. 

 Mag. t. 10, it is placed so near the flower as 

 to seem a part of it, which, however, is really not 

 the case. 



