IRRITANT POISONS 37 



stamens long; pale-green. — Fruit a globular capsule; 3-celled; 

 smooth. — Seeds J in.; oval; dull, brownish-gray; without 

 odour; hilum faintly marked. — Stem contains a milky sap. 



Toxic Principles.— CROTO'NOL, CROTONOLEIC ACID, also 

 contained in C. variegatum, C. verreauxii. 



Where the deadly croions grow. — Anon.: " India Revisited.''^ 



RlCmUS COMMUNIS {India and South Europe). 66. 



CASTOR OIL PLANT — CASTOR BEAN — PALMA-CHRISTI. 



Euphorbiacece. — Stems, 5 ft. (40 ft. in Tropics); hollow; 

 glaucous. — Leaves alternate; lanceolate; serrate. — Flowers, 

 petals none; stamens numerous; green. — Fruit a blunt, 

 grooved, tricoccous, spined capsule. — Seeds 3, oval, flattened, 

 smooth; shining; mottled; raphe raised. — yellowish; Fruit 

 green to purple. 



Toxic Principles. — RICIN, RICINONE, also contained in 

 R. sanguineus. 



Populus frugi castusque verecundusque. — Horace. 



CALTHA PALUSTRIS {British). 67. 



MARSH MARIGOLD — WATER BUTTERCUP — MEADOW BRIGHT — 

 MEADOW BOUT — MEADOW GOWAN — OPEN GOWAN — WATER 

 GOWAN — YELLOW GOWAN — MAY BLOBS — BOOTS — GOLDS 

 — GOLDmS. 



Ranunculacece. — Stem erect. — Lower leaves large; rounded; 

 heart-shaped; deep glossy green. — Marshes and river-sides. — 

 l-lj ft. — perennial; May; bright yellow. 



Toxic Prmc*2??e«5.— JERVINE, HELLEBORIN. 



. . . winking maryhuds begin 

 To ope their golden eyes. 



Shakespeake ; " Cymbelene.'" 



