PACHYSANDRA PROCUMBENS. 



AMERICAN THICK-STAMEN. 



NATURAL ORDER, EUPHORBIACE^E. [Buxacea of Muller in Dc Candollc's Prodromus.) 



Pachysandra trocumbens, Michaux. — Flowers monoecious, apetalous, spiked ; calyx bract- 

 like, four parted ; sterile flowers numerous ; stamens four, with club-shaped exserted fila- 

 ments ; fertile flowers few, at the base of the sterile spike ; ovary three-celled, with two 

 ovules in each cell ; styles three, thick, recurved ; capsule of three one-celled, two-seeded, 

 two-valved carpels. Chapman's Flora of the Southern States. See also Gray's Manual 

 and Wood's Class-Book.) 



HE character of the genus, Pachysandra, only is given in 

 the above botanical description, as there is only the one 

 species, P. procumbens, known in the United States. Indeed, 

 there is but one other species known anywhere, and that is, 

 singularly enough to one who has not studied geographical 

 botany, a native of Japan. It is, however, not uncommon to 

 find isolated species in the Atlantic States of this continent, 

 with corresponding allies in Japan. These are usually of genera 

 represented by a limited number of species, and the phenomenon 

 suggests that there may have been geological disturbances 

 wiping out what probably were the great centres of vegetable 

 families, and leaving only the few scattered outposts on the 

 boundaries. The nearest link now left in the chain of relation- 

 ship is the common Box of our gardens, although the superficial 

 observer will fail to see much in common between the two. 

 Any one, however, who will compare the flowers of the Box with 

 those of P. procumbens must see how nearly the structures cor- 

 respond. In the Box the spike is very closely drawn together, 

 so as to form a dense head. The lower flowers are all male, 

 with four stamens in each flower, and the female flower, with its 



