Euphorbia.'] EuphorbiacecB. 5 



fl. : — ov. nearly sessile, styles combined for half their length ; 

 capsule 3-lobed, rather depressed, lobes ovoid, slightly 

 compressed. 



Low country, in rocky and stony places, especially in the dry region ; 

 common. Fl. Sept.-Feb. ; greenish-yellow, ov. pink. 



Also in Peninsular India. 



A very abundant tree in the dry forests near the coast, and familiar 

 to all travellers, by whom it is generally called a * cactus.' I have never 

 seen more than 3 wings to the branches, though Wight says that in 

 India the number is most variable. The plant usually appears leafless, 

 as the small fleshy leaves are quickly deciduous. The whole plant 

 affords a very viscous, acrid, milky juice. 



2. &. tortllls, Rottler ex Wight, Ic. iii. 3, 9 (1845). Slnuk, A". 



Thw. Enum. 268. C. P. 2943. 



Fl. B. Ind. v. 256. Wight, Ic. t. 898. 



A small tree, 8-20 ft., much branched; young branches 

 jointed, fleshy, more slender than in E. Antiquorum, whorled, 

 ascending, with 3 (rarely 4) broad fleshy wings, which are 

 coarsely serrate-crenate, often spirally twisted, pale yellowish- 

 green; 1. o, or very quickly deciduous; stip. spines minute, 

 very sharp, at summit of each crenation, brown ; fl.-heads 

 much smaller than in E. Antiquonwi, or\ very short stout ped., 

 in trichotomous cymes from the stem sinuses ; inv.-glands 

 large, broader than long, thick, glabrous; male fl. several, 

 mixed with numerous fimbriate bractlets; fem. fl. ; ov. shortly 

 stalked, styles very shortly connate at base, spreading, 

 minutely bilobed; capsule very small, lobes ovoid-globose, 

 not compressed. 



In similar places to E. Antiquorum, but much rarer. Between 

 Nalande and Dambulla, abundant ; Dambulla Hill. (The C. P. speci- 

 mens are from the Peradeniya Gardens.) Fl. Oct.-Feb. ; greenish- 

 cream-coloured. 



Also in S. India. 



I very much doubt if the Ceylon plant is rightly referred to this 

 species. It certainly accords badly with Wight's figure. Wight gives 

 no locality. There is no specimen in Rottler's Herbarium at Kew. 



The branches are frequently 4-winged, and often, but by no means 

 invariably, have a distinct spiral twist. I have never seen any leaves. 

 Affords an abundant sticky milk. 



E. neriifolia, L. Thw. Enum. 268. Patak, S., a native of India; is 

 sometimes cultivated. It is Fl. Zeyl. n. 200, and given by Moon 

 (Cat. 37) as if a native. It has obscurely 5-angled branches and short 

 stipular thorns. 



E. Tirucalli, L., Thw. I.e., Nawahandi, S., Kalli, T., is much used 

 for fences in the low country, especially in the dry region, and called 

 ' milk-hedge by the English. It is supposed to have been introduced 



