ORDER 112. EUPHORBIACEIE. 625 



l,ut lose? its deleterious properties by washing and exposure to heat. Castor-oil is expressed 



from the seeds of Kiciuus commur.is. Croton-oil from the seeds of Croton Tinlium. Caoutchouc 



i.s yielded in abundance by several S. American species, 



FIG. 68?, 1, Head or capitulum of En- 

 phorbiacorollata; with the corolla-like, in- 

 volucre, and pedicellate pistillate flower. 

 2. The involucre tube cut open, showing 

 the monandrous, starniuate flowers sur- 

 rounding the pistillate. 3. One of tb 

 flowers, with a toothed bract at base. 4. 

 Cross section of the ovary, showing the 3 

 one-seeded cells or carpels. 

 Ous. Our specimens of the Euphorbiaceie were submitted to the inspection of Dr. Engclmano, 



of St. Louis, and are here described nearly in accordance with his nomenclature* 



GENERA. 

 Cells of the ovary one-ovuled ; fruit 3 (rarely 2 or l>sceded. (*) 



* Flowers in a cup-shaped involucre, the $ many, each merely a stamen, with one 



? flower, an ovary exserted on a pedicel, ......EUPHORBIA. 1 



* Flowers not in an involucre 8, all apetalous, having a calyx only, (a) 



a Flowers diandrous, in a terminal spike. Plants glabrous STILLIXGIA. 2 



a Flower 2 to 8-androus, in racemes, Plants hairy or downy . , , . .TKAGXA. 3 



a Flowers 8 to 12-androus, in small spikes with largo bracts , ACALYPHA . 4 



a Flowers 10 to 15-androus, in cymes, with white sepals Stinging. . . .CNIDOSCOLITS* 9 

 a Flowers polyandrous, in panicles; fruit echinate. Plant glabrous,,,, ....Uicixus. 6 



* Flowers not in an involucre S, the sterile and often the fertile, also with petals, (b) 



b Ova. 3 (rarely 2)-celled and seeded, Fls. clustered. Woolly, downy or scurfy.CnoTOX. 7 

 b Ova, 1-celled, 1-secded, indehiscent. Fls. axillary, small. Silvery scurfy.CEOTOXOPSra. 9 

 { Cells of the ovary 2-ovuled ; fruit G (or abortively fewer)-scedcd. (c) 



C Calyx C-parted ; stamens 3, united. Flowers axillary, small PHYLLANTHUS. 



O Calyx 4-parted ; stamens 4, distinct, large. Flowers in bracted f pikes. . , . PACIIYSAXUP.A. 10 

 C Calyx 4-parted ; stamens 4, distinct. Flowers axillary. Shrub, Leaves opposite.. Buxcs. 11 



1. EUPHOR'BIA, L. (Named for Euphorbus, physician to Juba, 

 King of Mauritania.) SPURGK. Flowers 8 , several in an involucratc 

 cluster; involucre calyx-like, cup-shaped, with 4 or 5 pctaloid segments 

 alternate with as many large glands; flowers achlamydcous, the $ 12 

 or more each consisting of a single stamen on a pedicel Which is axil- 

 lary to a little bract ; ? flower solitary, central, a 3*carpeled, 3-styled 

 and 0-seedcd ovary raised on a slender pedicel ; capsule 3-lobcd, separ- 

 ating into 3 bivalved nutlets. Herbs or shrubs with a milky juice. 

 Lvs. generally opposite or vcrticillate, often alternate, sometimes none. 

 Involucres flower-like, axillary or umbellate. 



Stems spiny, thick, c-roct. Stipules none. Floral leaves s-carlet ,,..., No. 1 



S Stems unarmed, erect. Leaves destitute of stipules, alternate or opposite. (*) 



* Involucre with 4 or 5 glands which arc 2-horned or eresceiit-shnped. (a) 



a Umbel of many rays. Stem-leaves narrow, alternate. Seeds smooth. 7; ... ,Nos. 2, 3 



a Umbel of 8 rays, aiid forked. Stem leaves alternate, thin Nos. 4> f 



a Umbel < f 2 or 4 rays, and forked.-Stem leavos opposite, thick No. C 



* Involucre with 5 white, petal-like glands or appendage?, (b) 



b Heads nearly sessile. Leaves with broad, white margins No. 7 



b Heads pedunculate, solitary or tmbpaniculatc. Leaves broad oval Nos. S, 9 



b Heads pedunculate, umbellate. Leaves oblong, mostly narrow Nos. 10, n 



* Involucre with 1 to 5 glands neither petal-like nor horned, (c) 



C Inflorescence in compound cymes, with long peduncles ,. ,, ....No. 12 



O Inflorescence in compound umbels, with short peduncles, (d) 



d Seeds reticulated or wrinkled. Leaves serrulate , Nos. 13, 14 



d Seeds smooth and even, in a rough, warty fruit Nog. 15, 16 



C Inflorescence solitary, axillary. Leaves all opposite No. IT 



C Inflorescence a simple, terminal cluster. Leaves alternate or opposite..,. Nos. 18, 10 

 J Stems unarmed, chiefly prostrate, diffuse. Leaves all opposite, small, with small, 



entire or cleft stipules. Involucres axillary or clustered. May to Nov. (if) (e) 

 e Leaves serrulate or serrate. Seeds roughened with wrinkles or pits. <f ) 



f Stem ascending or erect, smooth or smoothi.sh. Seeds black or nmber color. Nos. 20, 21 



f Stem prostrate, hairy or puberulent ns well as the leaves and fruit Nos. 22, ia, 24 



e Leaves entire. Seeds smooth and even. Plants glabrous Nos. 25, 26, 27 



1 E. splendens Bojaris. St. suflruticous, fleshy, armed with rigid, sharp 

 thorns; Ivs. ovate, tapering to the base, glabrous, entire, acute, mucronate; ped. 

 axillary, 2 or 3 times dichotomous ; floral Ivs. in pairs, broader than long, cuspi- 

 date scarlet. A singular and showy garden rlr-.rt. | Madagascar. 

 40 



