56 
PosITION OF THE GENUS. 
The position of Chrozophora within the Euphorbiaceae has 
In 1866 Miiller 
tions in one Euphorbiaceous genus. Bentham in 1880 (Gen. Pl 
i. p. 248) and Pax in 1890 (Pflanzenfam. iii. 5, p. 42) were 
unable to accept so drastic a change of The former was, 
hame in a sense more comprehensive than that of Miller. To 
Miller the Crotoneae constituted a group equal in status with 
the Acalypheae; to Bentham the Crotoneae appeared a group of 
higher status within which the Chrozophoreae, the Crotoneae 
proper (Lucrotoneae), and the Acalypheae enjoy equal rank. 
The most important difference between the view of Bentham and 
of Miiller therefore lies in the fact that the former has treated 
the Chrozophoreae and the Acalypheae as of equal importance. 
Pax has adopted a compromise between the two views. He has, 
like Bentham, merged the Caperonieae of Miiller in his Chrozo- 
phorinae, but has at the same time, like Miller, subordinated 
Chrozophoreae a status equal to that of the Acalypheae. So far 
as mere convenience is concerned it is, however, clear that there 
is nothing to choose between the systems of Bentham and of Pax, 
and that either system is more satisfactory than that of Miiller. 
CHARACTERS OF THE GENUS. 
So far only two endeavours have been made to analyse the 
genus. To admit of an appreciation of these attempts a sum- 
mary of the characters is necessary. 
Chrozophora, Neck. Flowers monoecious, dichlamydeous. 
$ Calyz closed in bud, ovoid or globose, ultimately splitting 
into 5 valvate lobes. Petals 5, usually dirty yellow,. rarely 
red, generally shorter than the calyx lobes externally lepi- 
dote. Stamens 5-15; filaments connate, at least below, in 
a cen column, the free portion usually shorter, rarely 
considerably longer than the anthers; anthers usually 
