NATURAL ORDER EUPHORBIACEA, 
Section of genus Euphorbia, having stipules. 
Puate XV.—Euphorbia Preslit. Gussone. Woods. Not given by 
Grenier and G'odron. 
GeEnERic.—Styles 2 to 3. Capsule 2 to 3 celled, bursting with elasti- 
city, each cell containing one pendulous ovule. Male flowers of one or 
more stamens. Perianth lobed or none. Flower usually monecious.— 
(Copied nearly from Babington.) 
Sreciric.—Capsule smooth. Seeds when ripe somewhat four-sided, 
brown. Perianth furnished with entire milky-white glands, which 
change as the capsule begins to grow, and soon assume the appearance of 
the laciniate edges of the perianth itself. Flower heads sessile amid bracts, 
forming terminal clusters. Stems smooth, except at the nodes, where 
they become slightly pubescent, upright, dichotomous. Leaves opposite, 
obliquely-lobed at the base, the deficient side having a margin nearly 
free from the teeth with which the other edge is surrounded. Both 
surfaces are more or less hairy, and the short peduncles are pubescent, 
and expanded below their articulation into minute stipules. Gussone 
says of the leaves that they are punctate with pellucid spots, “pellucide 
punctata,” but the specimens examined by me bore no trace of this, only 
showing tiny white patches of white tissue (Cinenchyma) when held up 
to the light, of which more below. Leaves quickly falling. 
EXPLANATION OF Pirate XV.—Plate XV. is of Euphorbia Preslii, 
a very rare and interesting plant. Fig. 1, a flower-head with the 
glands present on the perianth. Fig. 2, the same further advanced, 
when the glands are resolved into the form of the torn edges of the 
perianth. Fig. 3, the extremity of a flowering branch, showing how 
the flower heads are sessile amid imbricated bracts. Fig. 4, the com- 
pletely ripe, four-sided seed. Fig. 5, part of the main stem with one 
leaf remaining, with its stipule and that of the fallen leaf. It will be 
noticed that the further half of the leaf is smaller than the other, and 
is not toothed in its lower part. Fig. 6, the nervature and veining of 
a leaf, artificially prepared to show it. The intervals between these 
curious veins are filled with milky tissue, so as to produce, on holding 
the leaf up to the light, the effect of tiny blotches. 
