CALIFORNIA PLANTS IN THEIR HOMES 



family trait of the Euphorbias is milky or poisonous juice. 

 One Euphorbia is sometimes cultivated in California 

 because gophers are supposed to be poisoned by eating it. 

 A large part of the India-rubber used in the world is made 

 from the juice of South American trees of this family. 

 Another South American member of the family is the 

 Manioc, which, though it has a poisonous juice, furnishes 

 the tapioca of commerce, and besides, is the chief article of 

 food of the natives. 



The highest group of dicotyledons with petals not 

 united, is called Calyciflorse, because the calyx, or the calyx 

 and receptacle, usually form a cup about the ovary. When 

 the ovary is grown fast to the cup or tube, it is called 

 inferior, because it is below the rest of the flower. This 

 group contains several families that we have already studied, 

 and some others common in California. The Umbelliferse 

 family, which we studied under social flowers, is one; 

 another is the saxifrage family, which includes currants and 

 gooseberries. Do you remember how early in the winter 

 these saxifrages sent out new leaves and flowers ? To be 

 able to flourish with little warmth seems to be a family 

 trait, and most of the California saxifrages are found in 

 shaded canons or on high mountains. 



The cactus family, another member of this group, 

 knows how to defy dry weather. Think out its devices 

 for doing this, and find out for yourselves, if possible, a 

 special trick the flowers have for getting their pollen car- 

 ried. The ice plant, and the Sedum, or live-for-ever, both 

 members of this group, also know how to store water. 



Perhaps you remember a spring flower with a very 

 slender inferior ovary; Fig. 42, Chapter IX, will recall 

 it. Have you discovered any of its relatives ? Examine 

 the white or the yellow evening primrose, or the cultivated 

 fuchsia. During the late spring and summer months, 

 there are some very showy wild flowers that belong to this 



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