280 FLOHA OF JAMAICA Croton 



1-2 mm. 1. Bracts thread-like about 1"5 mm. 1. Male floivers (just 

 opening) : Calyx densely totoentose inside and outside ■with stellate hairs, 

 5-parted, segments elliptical, 1*5 mm. 1. Petals about 2 mm. 1., white, 

 oblong, densely covered inside and on margins with long white hairs, 

 puberulous outside except at apex. Stamens 10-14 ; filaments hairy. 

 Female flowers: Calyx, covering like that of male, 5-parted, 4 mm. 1., 

 segments ovate-triangular, with edges near base slightly folded backwards. 

 Petals generally wanting, but sometimes one or more present spathnlate, 

 hairy, two-thirds as long as the calyx. Ovary densely hairy with scaly 

 hairs with long rays. Styles pubescent, 2-parted, branches 2-parted again. 

 Capsule somewhat rough with scales more or less persistent, pubescent 

 styles persistent, 6-7 mm. 1. Seeds ellipsoidal, smooth, brown, 4 mm. 1. 



6. C, ovalifolius Vahl in West Bidr. Ste. Croix (1793) : 

 leaves varying much in size, the larger l"5-3'5 cm. 1., oval- 

 elliptical to oblong-elliptical, apex rounded or obtuse, base obtuse 

 to wedge shaped, entire, upper surface glabrous, beneath more or 

 less hispid with stellate hairs, "without glands on margin or at 

 base; stipules linear-acuminate, glandular. — Griseh. op. cit. 41; 

 Muell. Arg. in DC. Prodr. xv. pi. 2, 648. C. diffusus Geisel. 

 op. cit. 41 (1807). Specimen from West, St. Cruz, in Herb. 

 Mus. Brit. 



Near Kingston, McNah ! Prior 1 March 1 Windward road, near Kings- 

 ton; Liguanea Plain; Campbell \ Long Mountain, 100 ft.; Harris I Fl. 

 Jam. 6015, 6102, 11,869, 12,119.— Hispaniola, St. Thomas, St. Cruz, 

 Guadeloupe, Venezuela. 



Shrub J to 1 ft. high, much branched ; young twigs pubescent or hispid 

 with stellate hairs, or glabrescent. Leaves varying much in size, the 

 larger l-5-3'5 cm. 1., oval-elliptical to oblong-elliptical, apex rounded or 

 obtuse, base obtuse to wedge-shaped, without glands, upper surface 

 glabrous, beneath more or less hispid with stellate hairs ; nerves 3 at 

 base, pinnate above ; petiole 1-1*5 cm. 1. ; stipules linear- lanceolate, with 

 short glandular branches. Racemes short, 2-3 cm. 1. Bracts linear- 

 lanceolate, denticulate. Male flowers: Calyx 2*5 mm. 1.; segments 

 oblong-ovate, pellucid-dotted, puberulous-tufted at apex. Petals 2 mm. 1., 

 lanceolate, pubescent on lower half inside. Stamens about 10 ; filaments 

 pubescent below. Female flowers : Calyx 4 mm. 1., increasing to 5*5 mm. 

 in fruit, segments linear-lanceolate, fringed with glandular projections. 

 Ovary hispid. Styles 4-6-parted. Capsule 4-5 mm. 1., globular, glab- 

 rescent, exceeded by the calyx. Seeds 3-sided, convex on back, brownish, 

 barely 3 mm. 1. 



7. C. lueidus L. Syst. ed. 10, 1275 (1759) & Amain v. 410, 

 383 ; leaves crowded towards the apex of the branches, so as to 

 appear opposite or ternate, 4-10 cm. 1., lanceolate-elliptical, 

 elliptical, or oblong-elliptical, subacuminate (or rarely roundish), 

 apex obtuse, margin entire or sometimes obtusely and remotely 

 serrate, glabrous or with stellate and simple hairs on both sides, 

 without glands at the base ; calyx of female flowers with a few 

 .stellate hairs, about three times as long as male ; segments 

 oblong, with edges near base folded back outwards. — Sw. Fl. Ind. 

 Occ. 1193; Griseh. (inch vara.) loc.cit.; Muell. Arg. in DC. Prodr. 

 XV. pt. 2, 561 ; Urh. Symb. Ant. iv. 341. Croton erectum glabrum. 



