EUPHORBIACEA:. 311 



sometimes indehiscent. Seeds often with an aril, the embryo 

 enclosed hi fleshy albumen. Trees, shrubs or herbs, often 

 abounding in acrid milk. Leaves simple, rarely compound, 

 usually with stipules. 



1. CROTONOPSIS. Mich. Crotonopsis. 

 (So called from its resembling the Croton.) 



Monoecious. STERILE FL. Perianth 5-parted, with 5 peta- 

 loid scales. Stamens 5. FERTILE FL. Perianth 5-parted. 

 Stigmas 3, twice bifid. Capsule 1 -seeded, not opening. 



C. linearis Mich. : stem erect, dichotomously branched ; leaves stellately 

 pubescent above, hairy and covered with silvery scales beneath. C. ar- 

 gentea Pursh. Friesia argentea Spreng. 



Swamp in sands. N. J. to Car. W. to Miss. June. (J). Stem 1218 

 inches high, covered like the leaves, with solitary scales. Leaves varying from 

 linear-lanceolate to ovate, on short petioles. Flowers in terminal and axillary 

 spikes, very minute. Linear-leaved Crotonopsis. 



2. PHYLLANTHUS. Linn. Phyllanthus. 



(From the Greek $v\\ov, a leaf, and avdos, a flower ; the flowers being con- 

 nected with the leaves.) 



Monoecious. STERILE FL. Perianth 6 -parted ; segments 

 spreading, colored, persistent. Stamens 3, very short, spread- 

 ing, united at base ; anthers didymous. FERTILE FL. Peri- 

 anth as in the sterile. Styles 3, bifid. Capsule 3-celled. 



P. Caroliniensis Walt. : herbaceous ; stem erect ; branches alternate and 

 distichous ; leaves alternate, simple, elliptic-obovate, obtuse, smooth, some- 

 what distichous, on short petioles; flowers few, (2 4,) axillary, on pedi- 

 cels, nodding. P. obovatus Wittd. 



Banks of streams. Penn. to Geor. July. Aug. (). Stem 12 inches high, 

 with distichous branches, sometimes dark-purple. Flowers on short pedicels, 

 axillary, nodding, yellowish, with a purple tinge at base. 



Carolinian Phyllantkus. 



3. RICINUS. Linn. Palma Christi. j 



(From the Latin ricinus, a tick ; its seed resembling that insect.) 

 Monoecious. STERILE FL. Perianth 5-parted. Stamens 

 numerous; filaments united, branching. FERTILE FL. Peri- 

 anth 3-parted. Styles 3, 2-parted. Capsule mostly echinate, 

 3-celled, 3-seeded. 



R. communis Linn. : stem herbaceous, glaucous-pruinose ; leaves peltate- 

 palmate ; lobes lanceolate, serrate ; capsule echinate. 



Around plantations at the South. Aug., Sept. (p. Introduced. Cultivated 

 extensively in various parts of the U. S. for the purpose of obtaining oil from the 

 seed. Castor-oil Bean. 



