DICOTYLEDONS CHENOPODIACE^E DIAGRAM 13. 



179 



FAMILY EUPEORBIACE^E. 



This family includes a number of plants which have a very- 

 peculiar appearance. The various kinds of spurge belong to the 

 family Euphorbiacese. The flower ex- 

 hibits no striking colours, and there is a 

 large pistil in the centre, from which we 

 can already perceive the shape which 

 the fruit will take. Many euphorbiacese 

 have a milk-white and very acrid juice. 



The Box belongs to this family. It 

 J s an evergreen, and grows very slowly. 

 However, it becomes a large tree in 

 time, and its wood is very expensive. 

 It is used for wood engravings. A Spurge, 



picture is drawn on a block of box-wood, which is then cut in such 

 a manner as to leave only the marks of the drawing in relief ; and 

 it is then covered with ink, and printed from. 



The Castor-oil plant also belongs to the same family. 

 It is sometimes grown in England for ornament ; but in hot 

 countries the seed yields an oil which is used in medicine as a 

 purgative. 



FAMILY CHBNOPODIACB^]. 



This family contains the Spinach, the leaves of which are eaten ; 

 and the Beet, which is an extremely useful plant. The plants of 

 the chenopodiaceae, like those of the euphorbiacese, bear small 

 and inconspicuous green flowers. 



The beet-root is not only used for human food when cooked, 

 and for food for cattle when raw, but is largely cultivated on the 

 Continent for the manufacture of sugar, which is contained in the 



