302 euphorbiacejE. [Euphorbia, 



America. In tropical Asia it is more commonly replaced by the nearly allied species (or 

 variety ?) E. cassioides, Presl, with, broader leaves and hairy capsules. 



4. E. sanguinea, Steud. and Hochst. ; Bom. in Herb. Hook. A dicho- 

 tomous much-branched prostrate annual, seldom above 6 in. long, glaucous 

 and glabrous, or with a few white hairs. Leaves from ovate to oblong, obtuse, 

 serrate, very oblique, 2 to 4 lines long. Mower-heads smaller than in E. hype- 

 ricifolia, and 2 or 3 together in almost sessile axillary cymes, as in E. thymi- 

 folia. Involucral glands without petaloid appendages. Capsule glabrous, and 

 seeds of E. hypericifolia. 



Hongkong, Harland ; on the continent of S. China, in the Punjab, and in Affghanistan. 

 Having long since returned the late Dr. Harland's specimens, I describe it from Shanghai 

 and Indian ones. It is perhaps a variety of the widely diffused E. Chamcesyce. 



5. E. thymifolia, Linn. ; Willd. Sp. ii. 898. A prostrate slender much 

 branched annual, seldom above 6 in. long, the stems slightly hairy. Leaves 

 all opposite, ovate, obtuse, serrulate, and very obliquely truncate at the base, 

 2 or 3, or very rarely 4 lines long. Flower-heads very small, few together in 

 compact almost sessile axillary cymes. Glands of the involucre, hairy cap- 

 sules, and seeds of E. pilidifera. 



Hongkong, Hance, Wright. A common weed in tropical Asia. 



6. E. pilulifera, Linn.; Willd. Sp. ii. 897. A decumbent or prostrate 

 annual, more or less hirsute with spreading hairs, 6 in. to a foot long or more. 

 Leaves all opposite, from ovate to ovate-lanceolate or oblong, 1 to li in. long, 

 very oblique and usually narrow at the base. Flower-heads minute and nu- 

 merous, crowded in head-like cymes, on short axillary peduncles. Involucre 

 about ^ line long, the glands small and entire, without appendages. Capsule 

 f line diameter, more or less hairy with appressed hairs. Seeds ovoid, ob- 

 tusely 4-angled, slightly wrinkled. 



Common in waste places, Hance, Wilford. A very common weed in tropical and sub- 

 tropical countries, both in the New and the Old World. 



2. STILLINGIA, Gard. 



Flowers monoecious, in catkin-like spikes. Perianth small and calyx-like, 

 irregularly toothed or lobed. Male flowers pedicellate, in distinct sessile 

 clusters, occupying the greater part or the whole of the spike, with a small 

 bract under each cluster. Stamens 2 or 3, free or united at the base. An- 

 thers globose, didymous. Female flowers few at the base of some of the 

 spikes, and solitary under each bract. Ovary 3-celled, with 1 ovule in each 

 cell. Style 3-cleft, with linear or oblong entire lobes. — Trees or shrubs. 

 Leaves alternate, entire, undivided. Spikes terminal, solitary, or rarely pa- 

 niculate. 



A considerable genus (if made to include Sapium), distributed over the tropical regions of 

 the New and the Old World. 



Leaves rhomboidal, sharply acuminate, as broad as long 1. S. sebifera. 



Leaves oval-oblong, at least twice as long as broad. 



Leaves whitish underneath. Primary veins numerous, almost transverse 2. S. discolor. 



Leaves green on both sides. Primary veins few and oblique . . . . 3. S. japonica. 



1. S. sebifera, A. de Juss. ; Miq. Fl. Ned. Lnd. iii. 693. A glabrous 

 tree. , Leaves rhomboid, sharply acuminate, 1 to 2 in. long and broad, green 



