Spurge Family 235 



tended by bracts which are often brightly colored. Sinuses 

 of the involucre usually bearing glands, naked or append- 

 aged. Staminate flowers scattered over the inner surface 

 of the involucre, consisting of a stamen, jointed on a fila- 

 ment-like pedicel which is subtended by a minute bractlet, 

 supposed to represent a calyx. Pistillate flowers solitary, 

 consisting of a 3-celled ovary usually exserted on a stalk ; 

 styles 3, 2-cleft. Capsules often nodding, 3-lobed, separat- 

 ing into 3 2-valved carpels. Seeds sometimes caruncled, 

 variously pitted, ridged or wrinkled. 



* Glands of the involucre mostly with white or colored membranous 



margins. 

 *- Leaves entire ; margins of glands conspicuous. 



1. E. albomarginata T. & G. Glabrous; stems numerous 

 from a woody perennial base, prostrate or decumbent, 5-30 cm. 

 long; leaves nearly orbicular, 4-8 mm. broad, often retuse above 

 and somewhat cordate at base, with a thin whitish edge; stipules 

 united into a conspicuous membranous white triangular scale, 

 entire or somewhat lacerate; involucres mostly solitary, cam- 

 panulate or turbinate, about 1.5 mm. long; glands maroon color 

 with a conspicuous entire white or rose-colored dilated append- 

 age ; capsule about 2 mm. long, the lobes angled on the back ; 

 seeds oblong, 4-angled. 



Common and general. Flowering all summer. 



2. E. polycarpa Benth. Glabrous or somewhat finely pubes- 

 cent; stems numerous from a perennial woody base, prostrate or 

 decumbent, 5-30 cm. long; leaves round-ovate, obtuse, usually 

 slightly cordate, 2-6 mm. long; stipules minute, short-triangular 

 to lanceolate, ciliate, distinct; involucres mostly solitary, about 1 

 mm. long; glands mostly dark purple, the white or rose-colored 

 somewhat crenate margins often very narrow; capsule small 

 with angled lobes; seeds oblong, 4-angled, about 1 mm. long. 



Occasional in the foothills, especially in the Santa Ana Mountains. 



3. E. melandenia Torr. Cinereous with a dense soft pubes- 

 cence, much branched from the base, the branches ascending 

 forming tufts; root simple, somewhat lignescent, but apparently 

 annual; leaves mostly ovate, short-petioled, usually oblique at 



