SPUEGE BOX. 251 



for its milky juice is an effective caustic for removing warts. 

 It differs from the Petty Spurge in its darker leaves and five 

 branches, but it is also a weed in cultivated ground. 



The Cypress Spurge (E. cyperissias), is a common border 

 plant in old-fashioned gardens. Its foliage is very small and 

 glaucous, This is one of the most poisonous of our British 

 Spurges. 



Edward has the Dwarf Spurge (E. exfgua). It is a pretty 

 little tidy plant, with narrow glaucous leaves, and flowers in 

 three branches. It grows in corn fields about Hawkhurst. 



The Portland Spurge (E. portlandica), has also narrow leaves, 

 but it has five branches. I gathered it on the rocks by the Loe 

 Pool in July. 



The Wood Spurge (E. amygdaloides), covers acres of ground 

 in the Herefordshire woods, especially where the trees have 

 been much cut. At a little distance it looks like a broad stretch 

 of sunlight. It grows freely between Plymouth and Looe on 

 the roadside ; also, in woods in Somersetshire and Kent. It is 

 a shrubby plant, with six branches, and large, blunt, hairy 

 leaves. 



There are an Upright Warty Spurge (E. stricta), with dotted 

 capsules and pale foliage ; and a Purple Spurge, with procum- 

 bent stems, frequenting sandy seashores. Both of these are 

 rare, and we have no specimens. 



The Mercury family is nearly as poisonous as the Spurge. 



The Dog Mercury (Mercurialis perennis), is a dark green 

 herb, with upright stems, closely set with lance-shaped serrated 

 leaves. The stamens and stigmas are on different plants, and 

 the green flowers are arranged in spikes. 



The Annual Mercury (M. annua), has branched stems, and 

 is of a lighter hue. My acquaintance with this was made in 

 botanic gardens only. 



The honest Box tree (Biixus sempervirens), is the only plant 

 of this tribe that can be said to have a really good character. 

 It grows frequently in shrubberies, and is said to be wild also. 



