Tragia 



EUPHORBIACEiE 



305 



two on each side at the base, with stipules. Flowers monoecious, 

 without petals. Racemes axillary (in T. volubilis) usually with 

 male and female flowers, the latter at the base. Flowers usually 

 solitary in the axil of a bi'act. Male flowers : Calyx globose, 

 closed in bud, valvately 3-(5-)parted in flowering. Disk none 

 or obscure. Stamens 3, 2 or 1. Rudiment of ovary none or 

 minute. Female flowers : Sepals usually 6, imbricate. Ovary 

 3-celled ; styles 3, united into a column, undivided at the 

 apex ; ovules solitary. Capsule splitting up into three 2-valved 

 coccL Seeds without a caruncle ; endosperm fleshy ; cotyledons 

 broad, flat. 



Specimens over 100, widely dispersed through tlie tropics, 

 and extending to South Africa and the southern states of North 

 America. 



T. volubilis L. Sp. PI. 980 (1753) & Ammn. v. 382; Sw. Ohs. 

 Bot 353 ; Griseh. Fl. Br. W. Ind. 48 ; Muell. Arg. in DC. Prodr. 

 XV. pt. 2, 935 ; Urb. Symb. Ant iv. 348 ; Prain in Fl. Trop. Afr. 

 vi. pt. 1, 969. T. scandens itc. Browne Hist. Jam. 336. Urtica 

 racemosa scandens <kc. Sloane Cat. 38 & Hist. i. 123, t. 82, /. 1. 

 (Fig. 100.) The type, a specimen grown in Hort. Upsal., is in 

 Herb. Linn., also a specimen presumably from Browne. 



A, Part of branch with foliage leaf and 



Inflorescence X 3. 



B, Male flower x 10. 



IV. 



Fig. 100.— Tragia vulnbUis L. 



C, Female flower with a. sepal removed 



X 10. 

 I), Coccus X 2. 

 E, Seed X 2. . 



