Croton.] euphorbiaceje. 309 



3. C. chinense, Benth., n. sp. A shrub ? Branches, leaves, and in- 

 florescence rather densely stellate-tomentose. Leaves ovate or oblong, obtuse 

 or scarcely acute, serrate or nearly entire, 2 to 3 in. long, on stalks of about 

 •j in., usually wrinkled and becoming nearly glabrous above. Glands stipitate 

 as in the last, but smaller or fewer. Racemes 1 to 2 in. long. Bracts divided 

 into subulate lobes, often tipped with a gland. Male flowers small, clustered. 

 Petals oblong. Glands very minute or none. Stamens above 20, intermixed 

 with hairs. Female flowers usually several at the base of the raceme. Sepals 

 about 2 lines long. Petals none. Ovary very hairy. Styles deeply 4-cleft. 

 Capsule about 3 lines long, very rusty-hairy. 



Hongkong, Hance ; on slopes of hills at Aberdeen, Tllford. Putoy Island, Wright, and 

 Amoy, Hance ; but not known out of S. China. 



12. JATROPHA, Linn. 



Flowers monoecious in terminal cymose panicles. Calyx 5-cleft, imbricate 

 in the bud. Petals 5, free or united, convolute in the bud, or none. Disk 

 of 5 free or united glands. Male flowers : Stamens 8 or 10, shortly united at 

 the base ; the 3 or 5 inner ones longer. Female flowers : Ovary 3 -celled, with 

 1 ovule in each cell. Styles 2-lobed or dichotomous. Capsule dividing into 

 2-valved cocci. — Trees, shrubs, or herbs. Leaves alternate, entire or pal- 

 mately lobed. 



A considerable tropical American genus, with a very few species either African or generally 

 naturalized in tropical Africa and Asia. 



1. J. Curcas, Linn. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 686. A shrub or small tree, 

 glabrous or nearly so, with a milky juice. Leaves on long stalks, very broadly 

 cordate or peltate, 3 to 5 in. long and broad, angular or obtusely lobed. 

 Cyme terminal, shorter than the leaves, with numerous small yellow flowers. 

 Calyx deeply 5 -lobed. Petals united at the base. Stamens 10, the 5 inner 

 united in a column. Capsule ovoid, above 1 in. long. 



In hedges and near habitations, Hance, Seemann. An American species, naturalized and 

 now very common in various parts of India. 



. 13. BRIEDELIA, Willd. . 



Flowers monoecious, in axillary clusters. Calyx 5 -lobed, valvate in the bud. 

 Petals 5, small. Male flowers : Stamens 5, inserted on a central column, 

 placed on a flat sinuate disk. Female flowers : Ovary 2 -celled (very rarely 

 3 -celled ?), half-enclosed in a cupular disk, with 2 ovules in each cell. Styles 

 shortly bifid. Fruit globular or ovoid, succulent, enclosing 2 (or rarely 1) in- 

 dehiscent cocci. — Trees, shrubs, or climbers. Leaves alternate, on very short 

 petioles, more or less distichous ; the primary veins usually prominent and 

 parallel. 



A genus of few species, all tropical Asiatic or African. 



1. B. tomentosa, Blume ; Miq. Fl. Ned. Ind. i. pars ii. 364. A shrub, 

 with weak slender more or less tomentose branches. Leaves oblong or oblong- 

 lanceolate, 2 to 3 in. long, nearly glabrous above, glaucous and more or less 

 pubescent or tomentose underneath. Flowers very small, in globular sessile 

 clusters, 4 or 5 female, and at least as many males in each axil. Drupes nearly 



