836 cxxiT. EUPH0RBIACE.15 (pRAix). [^Ohrozophora. 



Also in Egypt and in Palestine. 



As has been pointed out by Schwcinfurtli and by Miiller the two plants here 

 included under C. plicata, A. Juss., are distinct in appearance and are easily 

 separated. We follow Miiller in considering them varieties of the same species; 

 Schweinfurth, who at first ti-eated them as specifically distinct, has accepted this 

 view. The typical C. plicata {Croton plicatum, V;ihl) appears to be the more usual 

 form in dried up pools and stream beds and on sandbanks in rivers; the variety 

 ohliquifolia {Croton ohliquifolium, Vis.) appears to be usually met with as a weed 

 in fields. The species has been also recorded by Pax (Ann. 1st it. Bot. Roma, vi. 

 183) from Ogadon {Rohecchi, 372) and the River Ganane (Eiva, 749,632). In the 

 absence of material it is not certain to wliich of the two varieties these Abyssinian 

 specimens belong. To this species also bt-longs Lepidocroton se'>'ratus, Presl, which is 

 described as having 15 stamens, but in the absence of the type (whicli seems to have 

 disappeared) it is impossible to say definitely which of the two varieties described 

 represents Presl's genus. 



2. C. oblongifolia, A. Jnss. ex Spreng. Syst. Veg. iii. 850. A 

 much-branched undershrub, with stems stout and woody below, but 

 sometimes herbaceous and dying after flowering in the first year; 

 stems rather harshly white or tawny stellate-pubescent. Leaves 

 distinctly petioled, ovate-rhomboid or oblong to lanceolate, obtuse, base 

 cuneate, narrowly notched, 2-glandular, margin usually more or less 

 lobed or incised, rarely entire, 1-4 in. long, J-2 in. wide, thinly and 

 rather harshly stellate-pubescent above, more closely so beneath ; 

 petioles J-J in. long, closely and coar.^ely stellate-pubescent ; stipules 

 linear, 1 lin. long, deciduous. Racemes short-peduncled, rather dense; 

 lower female pedicels in fruit ^ in. long or rather longer. Male calyx 

 globose in bud, closely and coarsely stellate-pubescent; lobes ovate- 

 lanceolate. Petals yellowish-white, lanceolate, shorter than the 

 calyx-lobes. Stamens 5-10, 1-2-verticillate. Female sepals lanceolate. 

 Petals linear, as long as the calyx-lobes. Capsule 3-coccous, blue- 

 purple, about J in. wide, loosely clothed with Hoccose Hat scales with 

 fringed denticulate margins. Seeds rough. — Decaisne in Ann. Sci. Nat. 

 2me ser. ii. 242 ; Baill. Etude gen. Eupliorb. 322. C. obllqva, Miill. 

 Arg. in DC. Prodr. xv. ii. 749, excl. Wall. Cat. 7716 G ; Schweinf. 

 Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 235, 202; Boiss. Fl. Orient, iv. 1141, excl. syn. 

 Schweinf. ; Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. v. 401), Scinde plant only ; Aschers. & 

 Schweinf. 111. Fl. Egypte, 138; Penzig in Atti Congr. Bot. Genova ; 

 1892, 350; Pax in Ann. Jstit. Bot. Roma, vi. 183; Cooke, Fl. Bomb, 

 ii. ()07 ; not of A. Juss. C. tinctoria, Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. 30 ; 

 not of A. Juss. C. obliqua, var. angustifolia and var. hicisa, Schweinf. 

 in Bull. Herb. Boiss. vii. App. ii. 306. C. tinctoria, var. suhplicata, 

 Boiss. Fl. Orient, iv. 1141, partly; Terrace, in Ann. Istit. Bot. Roma, 

 v. 98 ; not of Miill. Arg. Croton tinctorium, Forsk. Fl. ^gypt.-Arab. 

 exxi. ; not of Linn. C. oblong if olium, Del. Desc. Egypt. Hist. Nat. ii. 

 (Fl. Egypte) 139, t. 51, fig. 1 ; A. Juss. Tent. Gen. Euphorb. 28. 



KTile Z.and. Nubia : coast region, Schweinf urth, 936 ! 937 ! 937 bis ! Bent ! 

 Jebel Garab and Jebel Dyb, Lnsson, 493! Eritrea: ^lus^nwn, Deflers ! Sanihnr, 

 Eenxch {Hildehrandt, 738) ! Arkiko. Schn-einfnrth Sf Riva, 142 ! Anfilah. between Ras 

 Madir and Haressan, Terracciano ; Kdd, t'ourhon! Abyssinia: Benihea, Schimper, 

 1692! Me<ia, Schimper, 1692 bis! Ennecoulon, t'ourhon, 323! Aii\iri, StecJcer, 29! 



