EUPHORBIACEAE 297 
Shrubs from fleshy roots, the leaf-lobes 3' to 7, lanceolate to oblong-oblan- 
ceolate; fruit longitudinally 6 ridged..............02.......100-+ 1. M. utilissima 
Trees with 3- to 5-lobed leaves; the lobes obovate to elliptic; fruit not 
+) 7 IR ae | el SS EE AR lA R PE 2. M. glaziovii 
1. M. UTILISSIMA Pohl. Camoteng-cahoy (Tag.); Cassava, Manioc, Tapioca 
Plant. 
An erect, glabrous suffrutescent or shruby plant 1.5 to 3 m high from 
stout fleshy roots. Leaves 10 to 20 em long, pale beneath, palmately 
divided nearly to the base into 3 to 7, lanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate, 
entire, acuminate segments, some of the upper leaves often entire. In- 
florescence axillary, lax, few-flowered. Flowers about 1 cm long. Capsules 
ovoid, about 1.5 cm long, longitudinally narrowly 6-winged. 
Common in hedge-rows along streets, etc., rarely flowering in Manila; 
common and widely distributed in the Philippines in cultivation. A native 
of tropical America, now planted in all warm countries. 
*2. M. GLAzIovir Muell.-Arg. Ceara Rubber Tree. 
A glabrous tree reaching a height of 12 m or more, with thin, some- 
what papery bark. Leaves long-petioled, 8 to 20 cm long, somewhat 
peltate at the cordate base, glaucous beneath, palmately 3- to 5-lobed, 
the lobes obovate to broadly elliptic, acute or shortly acuminate, entire. 
Panicles in the uppermost axils, shorter than the leaves. Flowers about 1 
em long. Capsule ellipsoid, 2 to 2.8 em long, not longitudinally ridged. 
Singalon, cultivated, fl. Sept.; of recent introduction here. One of 
the commercial rubber trees, a native of Brazil. 
21. ALCHORNEA Swartz 
Trees or shrubs, dioecious or monoecious, with simple, entire or toothed 
leaves, usually glandular at the base and often 3- or 5-nerved. Male 
flowers small, clustered on axillary or terminal, solitary or panicled spikes, 
the bracts small. Calyx small, globose, 2- to 4-valved. Petals none. Sta- 
mens 6 to 8 or more, the filaments free or connate below. Rudimentary 
ovary none. Female flowers in axillary or terminal spikes. Sepals 3 to 
6, imbricate. Petals none. Ovary 2- to 4-celled; styles distinct, often 
long; ovules 1 in each cell. Capsule of two or three, 2-valved, crustaceous 
cocci. 
Species about 30 of wide tropical distribution, 2 in the Philippines. 
1. A. sicca (Blanco) Merr. Balanti (Tag.).* 
An erect dioecious shrub usually 1 to 2 m high, glabrous or nearly so. 
Leaves ovate, 3 to 12 em long, crenulate, acuminate, base glandular, 
rounded, 3-nerved. Male spikes axillary, catkin-like, green and purplish, 
*1 to,5 cm long, about 3 mm thick, flowers numerous, densely arranged. 
Stamens 8. Female flowers small, scattered in slender, erect, few-flowered, 
2 to 10 cm long spikes, each flower with 3 acuminate bracts longer than 
the calyx, the styles simple, purple. Capsules ovoid, rugose, about 8 mm 
in diameter. (FI. Filip. pl. 307, Excoecaria sicca.) 
In thickets Pasay to San Felipe Neri, Pasig, etc., fl. Mar—June; of 
local occurrencé in the Philippines. Endemic. 


*This name is usually applied to species of Homalanthus that do not 
occur in our area. 


