SPURGE TRIBE. 553 



on the leaves, which kill them. The Dog-Mercury 

 (Mercuridlis perennis) is an herbaceous plant, common 

 in our woods, and an active poison ; another species, M. 

 annua, is less frequently met with, and, though poison- 

 ous, is not so virulent as the other species. 



1. EUPHORBIA (Spurge). Perianth or involucre bell- 

 shaped, containing 12 or more barren flowers or stamens, 

 and 1 'fertile flower or pistil ; ovary 3-lobed ; styles 3 ; 

 stigmas 2-cleft ; capsule 3-celled, 3-seeded. (Name 

 from Euphorbus, physician to Juba, an ancient king of 

 Mauritania, who first employed the plant as medicine.) 



2. MERCURIALIS (Mercury). Stamens and pistils on 

 different plants. Perianth 3 -cleft to the base ; barren 



flower, stamens 9, or more ; fertile flower, styles 2 ; ovary 

 2-lobed; capsule 2-celled, 2-seeded. (Name in honour 

 of the heathen god Mercury.) 



3. Buxus (Box). Stamens and pistils in separate 

 flowers, but on the same plant. Perianth 4 -cleft to the 

 base ; barren flower with 1 bract ; stamens 4 * fertile 

 flower with 3 bracts ; styles 3 ; capsule with three horns, 



3-celled ; cells 2-seeded. (Name, the Latin name of the 

 tree.) 



1. EUPHORBIA (Spurge). 



* Involucre tipped with pointed or angular glands. 



1. E. amygdaloides (Wood Spurge). Stem branched 

 above in an umbellate manner into about 5 rays ; rays 

 2 -forked ; bracts perfoliate ; leaves narrow, egg-shaped, 

 hairy beneath ; glands of the involucre crescent-shaped. 

 Woods, abundant. A common woodland plant, with 

 somewhat shrubby stems, 1 2 feet high, conspicuous 

 in spring and summer with its golden-green leaves and 

 flowers, and in autumn with the red tinge of its stems 

 and leaves. El. March, April. Perennial. 



* To this group belong E. Peplus (Petty Spurge), a 

 very common garden weed, 3 4 inches high, distin- 

 guished by its pale hue, its 3-rayed and forked umbel of 

 numerous flowers, the involucres of which are crescent- 



