EUPHORBIA AND CASTOR-OIL FAMILY. 233 



off by the knobby stigma, as shown in (III.). The 

 female inilorescence develops into a cone formed of the 

 hardened and persistent bracts. 



The wood is of inferior quality, and is more 

 commonly used for fuel. 



General Description of the Silver-tree Family: 



Shrubs or t^'ecs. 



Leaves — Very various, coriaceous. 



Flowers — Capitate, spiked, or axillary; calyx, 4- 

 parted, lobes valvate in bud ; stamens, 4, adherent to 

 sepal lobes ; ovary, free, 1 -celled. 



Fruit — Nut or drupe. 



Euphorbiacese. 



The Euphorbia and Castoii-oil Family. 



This order certainly contains some 3000 species of 

 nearly 200 genera in 6 tribes, which are again divided 

 into sub-tribes. In South Africa there are 23 genera. 

 The greater proportion of members of the order are 

 found within the tropics of both worlds. They are 

 altogether wanting in Arctic and Antarctic regions, as 

 also in the higher regions of the European Alps. 



The temperate forms of the type genus Fuphor'Ua 

 are very different from those of the hotter and drier 

 regions of South Africa. 



