386 EurnoRiiiACE,E. (SPURGE FAMILY.) 



glands at its sinuses. Sterile flowers numerous and lining the base of the invo- 

 lucrc, each from the axil of a little bract, and consisting merely of a single sta- 

 men jointed on a pedicel like tlie filament: anther-cells globular, separate. 

 Fertile flower solitary in the middle of the involucre, soon protruded on a long 

 pedicel, consisting of a 3-lohed and 3-celled ovary with no calyx, or a mere ves- 

 Styles 3, each 2-cleft; the stigmas therefore 6. Pod separating into 3 

 one-seeded carpels, which split elastically into 2 valves. Seed often caruncled. 



Plants (herbs In the United States), with a milky acrid juice, the uppermost 

 leaves often in whorls or pairs. Peduncles lateral or terminal, often umbellate- 

 clustered. (Named after Euphorias, physician to King Juba.) 



For the following elaboration of the genus I am indebted to DR. ENGELM ANN. 



$ 1 . leaves (a/I ofijiosite and similar, small) furnished with aid-shaped or scaly stip- 

 v/is: xtnns much branched: involucres solitary in the forks or axils, sometimes 

 crowded or clustered on the branchlets : root annual in all our species: plants flower- 

 ing all the summer and autumn. ( Stipulate. ) 



* Seeds smooth and even, ash-colored : leaves entire, alabrous, as is the ichole plant, 

 and pale or slightly glaucous. 



1. E. polygonifdlia, L. (SHORE SPURGE.) Prostrate-spreading; 

 leaves oblong-linear, obtuse, mucronate, slightly cordate or obtuse at the oblique 

 base (4" -8" long) ; peduncles equalling the short petioles; glands of the inco- 

 lucre minute, not appendaged ; pod obtusely angled; seeds ovate (1" long, the 

 largest of this section). Sandy shore of the Atlantic and of the Great Lakes. 



2. E. Crtiyeri, Engelm. Procumbent ; leaves oblong-ovate, obtuse at the 

 apex and the oblique base ; peduncles equalling the petioles ; appendages of the 

 involucre petal-like (white), orbicular; pod acutely angled; seeds obtusely tri- 

 angular (" long). Sandy soil, Beardstown, Illinois ( Gei/er), and southwest- 

 ward. This is a small-seeded fqrm (var. microspenna) : other forms in Mis- 

 souri and Texas have larger petal-like appendages and larger seeds. 



3. E. hemiarioides, Nutt. Prostrate; leaves round-ovate, obtuse at 

 the base (only ^" - 2" long) ; peduncles much longer than the petiule-s, lateral, sin- 

 gle or clustered ; appendages of the involucre minute and crenulate, or none; pod 

 acutely angled; seeds obtusely angled (|" long). Banks of the Mississippi 

 and lower Ohio, in rich alluvial soil, and south westward. 



* * Seeds minutely roughened, ash-colored: leaves serrulate, hairy. 



4. E. IlllIllBStr&ta, Engelm. mss. Procumbent, pubernlent or hairy ; 

 leaves elliptical with an oblique obtuse base, serrulate towards the apex, sparse- 

 ly hairy underneath (A'-f long, sometimes with a brown spot above); pedun- 

 cles rather shorter than the petioles, crowded in lateral clusters ; involucre cleft 

 on the back, its appendages orbicular or truncate and nearly entire ; pod acute- 

 ly angled, pnbcrulcnt ; seeds ovate, 4-angled (f" long). With the last. 



Branches 6'-20' long. Distinguished from the next by its broader leaves, 

 slit involucre, and rounder, granulated (not transversely grooved) seed. 



* # * Sctdx ti-annri'i-fti/y irrinkled-pilttd : leaves serrate, often hain/ and falcate. 



5. E. maculfsta, L. (SPOTTED SPURGE.) /Y,s//v,/ f . leaves very 

 oblique at the bn,se, oblong-linear (4" -6" long), serrulate towards the apex, 



