EUPHORBIACEiE. 113 



SPECIES XV.— EUPHORBIA LATHYRIS. Linn. 



Plate MCCLXVIL 

 Eeich. Ic. Fl. Germ, ct Hclv. Vol. V. Tab. CXLIII. Fig. 4783. 



Biennial. Stem very stout, simple or with short branches or axillary 

 tufts of leaves. Leaves opposite, decussate, sessile, strapshaped, acute, 

 entire, the ujipermost ones lanceolate-strapshaped. Umbel-rays 4, often 

 unequal, somewhat irregularly three or four times 2 -furcate. Bracts 

 ovate or lanceolate, acuminate, subcordate, acute, mucronate. Invo- 

 lucral glands lunate, with the cusps very blunt, diverging and 

 ascending. Capsule globular, trigonous; the cocca rounded on the 

 back, smooth. Seeds subcylindrical-ovoid, laterally compressed, 

 rugose with anastomosing longitudinal ridges, pitchy black, rounded 

 and slightly furrowed on the back, with a large hemispherical caruncule 

 notched on the inner side. Plant glabrous; stem very glaucous; 

 leaves leathery-flesh}', dark green above with a white midrib, paler 

 and somewhat glaucous beneath. 



In copses, in rocky woods. Very rare. Probably native near Bath. 

 It is found not unfrequently in cultivated ground and waste places in 

 England and the south of Scotland, but cannot be regarded as 

 indiirenous in such localities. 



o 



England, [Scotland^ Ireland.] Biennial. Summer. 



E. Lathy ris is very unlike all the other species of this genus. The 

 first year of its growth a very stout stiff stem is sent up with very 

 numerous narrow leaves 3 to 8 inches long; these leaves spread 

 horizontally, and are perfectly decussate, so that, looking down the 

 stem, they form a perfect cross. In the succeeding year an umbel is 

 produced at the apex of the stem, when the whole attains a height of 18 

 inches to 4 feet. The involucres resemble a perianth with 2 rows of 

 segments, the outer row being simulated by the glands, which have 

 their cusps ascending instead of spreading horizontally. The capsule 

 is about ^ inch long, the seeds nearly \ inch. 



Caper Spurge. 



French, Eu^horhe epurge. Gerraan, Kreuzbldttrige Wolfsmilch. 



The capsules of this species of spurge have been used as a substitute for capers, but 

 are extremely acrid, and not fit to eat till they have long been macerated in salt and 

 water, and afterwards in vinegar ; indeed, it may be doubted Avhether they are even 

 then wholesome as a condiment. 



GENUS IIL—M ERCURIALIS. Toumef. 

 Flowers dioecious or monoecious, distinct, not united into a com- 



VOL. VIII. Q 



