488 CXXI. EUPHORBIACE. Re 
16. E. punicea. Scarlet or Splendid Euphorbia.—St. suffruticose, fleshy, armed 
with rigid, sharp thorns; lws. ovate, tapering to the base, glabrous, entire, acute, 
mucronate; ped. axillary, 2 or 3 times dichotomous; involucrate bracts scarlet. 
—A singular and showy garden plant. 
2, ACALYPHA. 
The Greek name for the nettle, which this plant resembles. 
Fis. §.—iCalyx 3—4-parted; sta. 8-16, united at base—? 
Calyx 3-parted, segments connivent, persistent; styles 3, elongated, 
2—3-parted; caps. 3-celled, cells 1-seeded—Herbaceous or shrubby. 
Iws. alternate. 
A. Vireinica. Three-seeded Mercury. 
Pubescent, branched; lvs. petiolate, oblong-lanceolate, serrate ; invol. of 
the fertile flowers cordate, broad-ovate, acuminate, veined and toothed.—@) In 
dry and gravely soils, U. S. and Can., rare in N. Eng. Stem erect or ascend- 
ing at base, 10—18' high. Leaves 3-veined, 1—23/ long, 4 as wide, hairy, ob- 
tusish. Pistillate flower at the base of the peduncle of the staminate spike. 
Involucrum of the fruit axillary, on a short stalk, shorter than the leaves, its 
margin cut half way down into long, acute segments. Aug. ; 
8. (A. Caroliniana. Wall.) Lvs. rhombic-ovate, on long petioles—Penn. 
to Ind. ! 
3. RICINUS. 
Lat. ricinus, an insect, which the fruit of these plants resemble. 
Flowers §.— Calyx 5-parted; sta. many. @ Calyx 3-parted ; 
sty. 3, 2-cleft; caps. echinate, 3-celled, 3-seeded—Herbs and shrubs 
with peltate, palmate lus. 
R. communis. Castor-oil Bean. Palma Christi —sSt. frosted or glaucous, 
white, herbaceous ; dvs. peltate, palmate, lobes lanceolate, serrate; caps. prick- 
ly.—Native of the E. Indies, where it becomes a tree, although an herbaceous 
annual with us. In our gardens it is a tall, smooth plant of a light bluish- 
green color. Leaves 4—12" diam., on long petioles. From its seeds is ex- 
pressed the well known castor oil of the shops. For this purpose it is exten- 
sively cultivated inthe U.S. July, Aug. + 
4.CROTONOPSIS. Michx. 
Named from its resemblance (ows) to the next genus below. 
Flowers §.—d' Calyx 5-parted ; cor. of 5 petals; stamens 5. Q 
Calyx 5-parted ; cor. 0; stig. 3, twice bifid; caps. 1-seeded, indehis- 
cent.—® Lvs. alternate, stellately pubescent and shining. Fils. aggre- 
gate, the wpper ones sterile. | 
C. vinearis. Michx. 
St. erect, dichotomously branched ; lws. clothed with a stellate pubescence 
above, with hairs and shining scales beneath.—In the sandy swamps of N. J. 
to Car. and Ill. Nwétall. Stem 12—18' high, and like the leaves sprinkled with 
silvery, shining scales, Leaves on short petioles, linear-lanceolate or lance- 
ovate. Flowers very minute, in terminal and axillary spikes. June. 
5. CROTON. 
A Greek name, synonymous with the Lat. ricinus. See genus No. 3. ; 
Flowers $.—d' Calyx cylindrical, 5-toothed ; cor. of 5 petals or 0; 
sta. 10—15. 9 Calyx 5--many-sepaled; cor. 0; styles 3 or 6, bi- 
fid ; capsule of 3, coherent, 1-seeded carpels—A large genus, mosily 
tropical, and inconspicuous weeds. 
1. C. cariratum. Michx. 
S¢. woolly, tomentose; Jvs oval-oblong, obtuse, rounded and entire at the 
base, clothed with soft tomentum on both surfaces; fertile jis. at the base of the 
