Caperonia 



EUPHOHBIACE.E 



289 



then glabrous, simple or slightly branched, somewhat succulent, woody 

 and hollow below, trailing and rooting in the mud of swampy places, then 

 erect ; roots fibrous, numerous. Leaves 2*5-7"5 cm. 1., 4-1 cm. br., lanceo- 

 late-oblong, elliptical, or obovate, the larger above, distantly serrate, glab- 

 rous, or with a few hairs on nerves beneath ; nerves 4-10 on each side from 

 the base, pinnate above, slightly prominent on both sides ; petiole 4-14 cm. 1. ; 

 stipules ovate, acute, 1-5-2 mm. 1. Spikes 2-5 cm. 1., rhachis slender, 

 puberulous or glabrate. Bracts triangular- ovate, 1 mm. 1., margin more 

 or less ciliato. Flowers : male few, female 1 or 2. Male flowers : Calyx 

 glabrous, 2-5 mm. 1.; segments lanceolate, acute at both ends. Petals 

 unequal, 3 '4-2 -5 mm. 1., narrowly obovate to obovate- spathulate. Female 

 flowers: Calyx about 3 mm. 1., segments unequal, three outer shorter. 



Fig. Q'i.— Caperonia castaneifoiia St. Hil. 



A, Poitiou of branch with leaves and D, Female (lower x 5. 



inflorescence X 3. B, Capsule (calyx removed) Xi2i. 



B, Male flower X 5. F, Seed cut lengthwise, enlarced 



C, Anthers X 12. • » • 



1-1-5 mm. 1., three inner alternate, longer, 2-5 mm. 1., slightly, lobed 

 above, with 1-3 gland-tipped hairs about the middle of the margin on each 

 side or lower, about 1 mm. 1. Petals white, varying in form, obovate to 

 elliptical, and in size, 17-2 mm. 1. Ovary covered with overlapping pro- 

 cesses, near the apex narrowly ovoid, acute, gradually changing downwards 

 into soft hair-like gland-tipped processes with a narrow horizontal base 

 Styles broad at the entire narrow base, splitting up just above the base 

 into 6 or 7 pointed segments, the central one about 1 mm. 1., the others 

 decreasing in size outwards. Capsule 3'5 mm. 1., 6 mm. br., the processes 

 on the ovary persistent, deeply 3-furrowed, with the calyx persistent, and 

 somewhat increased in size. 



IV. 



