EUPIIORBIACE^. 109 



SPECIES XL— E UPHORBIA PARALIAS. Lmn. 



Plate MCCLXIII. 



Eelch. Ic. El. Germ, et Helv. Vol. V. Tab. CXLV. Fig. 4789. 

 Jiillof, El. Gall, ct Germ. Exsicc. No. 845. 

 Titliymalus maritimus, Lam. El. Er. Vol. III. p. 90. 



Rootstock woody, branched at the top, not creeping. Stems erect 

 or ascending, some short and barren, others longer and flowering ; the 

 latter simple or with short barren branches below, and sometimes a few 

 very short flowering ones below the umbel. Leaves scattered, crowded, 

 imbricated at the base of the flowering stems, sessile, oblong or lanceo- 

 late-oblong, entire, subobtuse; the upper ones broader. Umbel-rays 5, 

 rarely 3, 4, 6, or 7, once or twice 2-furcate. Bracts roundish-deltoid, 

 subcordate, obtuse, apiculate, not connate. Involucral glands lunate, 

 with short diverging cusps. Capsule globular, 3-lobed ; cocca rounded 

 on the back, with 2 broad bands of wrinkles, one of which is on each 

 side of the faint dorsal furrow. Seeds broadly ovate-ovoid, slightly 

 roughened with minute points, dim ashy-white, with a very minute 

 roundish-reniform caruncule. Plant glabrous ; leaves thick, leathery- 

 fleshy, very glaucous. 



On sands by the sea. Rather common in the south and west of 

 England, extending from Hants to Cumberland and the Isle of Man. 

 Rare on the east coast, where it does not occur north of Suflblk. Local 

 in Ireland, but widely distributed round the coast of that island. 



England, Ireland. Perennial. Summer, Autumn. 



Rootstock woody, buried among the loose sand ; in old plants pro- 

 ducing a number of stems from the point where it emerges from the 

 ground ; many of these stems are barren, and do not flower until the 

 succeeding season. Fertile stems 9 to 18 inches long, rather thick, 

 very densely leafy. Leaves ^ to 1 inch long, concave above, convex 

 beneath, spreading on the barren branches and upper part of the fertile 

 stems, but adpressed at the base of the latter, and on the whole plant 

 when it has been gathered for a short time ; upper leaves, especially 

 those at the base of the umbel-rays, broader than the others. Umbel- 

 rays short, thick, usually not above 1 or 2 inches long, but in very 

 luxuriant plants sometimes as much as 4 inches. Bracts ^ to f inch 

 across the pair. Involucral glands often denticulate between the cusps. 

 Capsule i inch long. Seeds very minutely dotted all over; caruncule 

 small and very deciduous. Plant pale glaucous green, becoming 

 whitish when dry ; the lower part of the stem and leaves frequently 

 tinned with red. 



Sea Spurge. 



French, Eupliorhe viaritimc. 



^&' 



