SPURGE FAMILY. 295 



E. Obtusata. Native W. & S. : like preceding, but taller, 1^ - 2° high ; 

 stem-leaves oblong-spatulate and obtuse, the iipper heart-shaped ; floral ones 

 dilated-ovate ; umbel once or twice 3-rayed, then 2-rayed ; glands of flower-cup 

 short-stalked ; pods long-warty. 



E. dietyosperma. Open ground S. W. Resembles the preceding, but 

 slender ; leaves obtusely serrate ; glands small, almost sessile ; seeds delicately 

 reticulated. 



E. Helioscdpia. Weed from Europe in waste places N. : with stouter 

 ascending stems 6'- 12' high; leaves all obovate and rounded or notched at the 

 end, the lower wedge-shaj)ed, finely serrate ; umbel first with 5, then 3, and at 

 length with 2 rays ; glands orbicular and stalked ; pods smooth and even ; 

 seeds with honeycomb-like surface. 



** *+ Glands of the Jlower-cup with 2 long horns : pod smooth : seeds sculptured 

 or pitted and pale. (T) @ 



E. Peplus. Waste places, from Eu. : stem erect ; leaves petioled, entire, 

 round-obovate, the upper floral ones ovate ; umbel first 3-rayed, afterwards 

 2-forked ; ])od 2-crested on each lobe. 



E. commut^ta. Wild from Wisconsin and Virginia S. W., on shady 

 slopes : stems with decumbent base ; leaves obovate, the upper sessile, the 

 rounded floral ones broader than long; lunbel 3-forked; pod crestless : fl. early 

 summer. 



++++++ Glands crescent-shaped : pod granular : seeds smooth, dark-colored. 2/ 



E. Cyparissias, Cypkess Spurge. Gardens from Eu. and running 

 wild E. : in dense clusters 6'- 10' high, smooth ; stem and branches crowded 

 with small linear entire leaves, the floral ones small and rounded heart-shaped ; 

 umbel many-rayed. 



-t- •»- Leaves all or chiejig opposite, entire, smooth, almost sessile : pod smooth. 



E. Ipeeacu^nhse, Ipecac Spurge. Sandy soil from New York S. : 

 branching repeatedly from the long perpendicular root, widely spreading ; 

 leaves barely 1' long, varying from obovate to linear ; peduncles solitary in the 

 forks, slender ; flower-cup dull purple, with 5 glands. 2/ 



E. Lathyris, Caper Spurge. Cult, from Eu. in country gardens : glau- 

 cous ; stem erect, stout, 2° - 3° high ; leaves thick ; those of the stem lance- 

 linear, floral ones oblong-ovate and heart-shaped ; umbel 4-rayed, then forking ; 

 glands short-homed. (5) 



2. STILLINGIA. {l^^amed for Dr. B. StilUngJleet.) Very smooth plants, 

 only S. : flowering all summer. 



S. Syiv^tica, Queen's Delight. Dry soil from Virginia S. : herb 1°- 

 3° high, clustered from a woody root ; leaves crowded, almost sessile, varying 

 from obovate to lance-linear, serrulate ; stamens 2. 



S. ligustrlna. River-swamps from N. Carolina S. : shrub 6° -12° high; 

 leaves lance-obovate or oblong, entire ; spikes short ; stamens mostly 3. 



S. sebifera, Tallow-tree of China, planted South Carolina & S. : tree 

 20° - 40° high ; leaves rhombic-ovate, entire, long-petioled ; stamens 2 ; seeds 

 white, yielding a useful vegetable tallow or wax. 



3. ACAIjYPHA. (Ancient Greek name oi Nettle.) Flowering through 

 lat ■ summer and autumn. 



A. Virginica. A most common, coai'se, low weed in fields, &c : smoothish 

 or hairy, turning purplish, with leaves varying from ovate to linear, fertile 

 flowers in short clusters ; pod and seed smoothish. ® 



A. Carolini^na. Cult, ground, chiefly S. : has thin heart-shaped closelj 

 serrate leaves, mostly a long terminal fertile spike, pods beset with soft prickles, 

 and seeds rough-wrinkled. (J) 



4. RiCINITS, PALMA-CHRISTI, CASTOR-OIL PLANT. (Latin 

 name of a bug, which the seed resembles.) 



R. COmmtinis, the only species, but of many varieties, native probably of 

 Africa : a sort of tree, but cult, in temperate climates as a stately annual, for its 



