1. Euphobbia. ] 22. EUPHORBIACE32. [ 2. Bsidblia. 



Fls. Feby.-April. Fr. April. Leafless usually Feby.-June. 



' Branches often jointed. Btipulary thorns §-J." L. pale beneath, nerves 

 only visible by transmitted light. Involucres yellow usually 3-nate in 

 cymes from above the leaf scars, and near the ends of the branches. 

 Old cymes about twice forked 1£'' long with yellow involucres. Young 

 with a central sessile disciform male and two lateral funnel-shaped 

 female, or central neuter with linear-spathulate staminodes. Anthers 

 purple with yellow pollen. Bracteoles between the stamens numerous 

 fimbriate, as also in the last, between the fls. and inflorescence of which 

 and of E. Nivulia good distinguishing characters are still wanting. 

 Capsule \'' broad, on a pedicel f. 



4. E. Tirucalli, L. Siju, Beng. 



A small tree 12-20 ft. high. Prain says quite naturalized in the western 

 parts of Bengal. I have rarely seen it in C. N. It is a native of Africa. 

 The branchlets are slender quill-like. 



5. E. pulcherrima, Willd. The Poinsettia, a well-known garden 

 plant, with brilliant scarlet leafy bracts surrounding the cymes of involu- 

 cres. Fl. Nov.-Feby. 



2. Bridelia, Willd. 



Trees or shrubs, sometimes scandent, with entire usually 

 strongly nerved leaves and small monoecious or dioecious 

 flowers in axillary clusters, or the clusters in terminal spikes. 

 Calyx 5-lobed valvate persistent. Petals 5 shorter than the 

 sepals, inserted outside the prominent annular slightly peri- 

 gynous disc. St. -5 on a gonophore with the pistillode. Ovary 

 2-celled. Styles free or partially connate, or stigmas sessile. 

 Fruit a drupe with a 2-celled stone, ultimately splitting into 

 two 1 -seeded 2-valved (always ?) pyrenes. 



1. Erect trees with very strong parallel sec. nerves 



and straight cross nervules. 

 Nerves 15-20 prs. Clusters axillary and in long 



spikes. Fr. globose 1. retusa. 



Nerves 8-16 prs. L. broadly obovate. Clusters all 



axillary. Fr. ellipsoid or oblong . . . .2. montana. 



Clusters axillary and in short spikes. L. elliptic 



acuminate. Fr. ellipsoid 3. puhescens. 



Large scandent ahrub. Venation as in 1 . .4. stipularis. 



214 



