302 EUPHORBiACEiE. [EupJiorUa. 



America. In tropical Asia it is more commonly replaced by the nearly allied species (or 

 variety?) E. cassloides, Presl, with broader leaves and hairy capsules. 



4. E. sangmnea, Stend. and HocJist. ; Boiss. in Herb. Hook. A dicho- 

 tomous mucli-branclied prostrate annual, seldom above 6 in. long, glaucous 

 and glabrous, or with a few white hairs. Leaves from ovate to oblong, obtuse, 

 serrate, very oblique, 2 to 4 lines long. Flower-heads smaller than in E. hype- 

 rlcifoUa, and 2 or 3 together in almost sessile axillaiy cymes, as in E. tJiymi- 

 folia. Involucral glands mthout petaloid appendages. Capsule glabrous, and 



seeds of E. hypericifolia. 



Hongkong, Harland ; on the continent of S. China, in the Punjab, and in Affghanistan. 

 Having long since returned the late Dr. Harland's specimens, I describe it fi'om Shanghai 

 and Indian ones. It is pei-haps a variety of the widely diffused E. Chamcesyce, 



5. E. thymifolia, Xm«. ; Willd. Sp ii. 898. A prostrate slender much 

 branched annual, seldom above 6 in. long, the stems slightly hairy. Leaves 

 all opposite, ovate, obtuse, serrulate, and very obliquely truncate at the base, 

 2 or 3, or very rarely 4 lines long. Flower-heads very small, few together in 

 compact almost sessile axillary cymes. Glands of the involucre, hairy cap- 

 sules, and seeds of E. pilidifera. 



Hongkong, Hance, Wright. A common weed in tropical Asia. 



6. E. pilulifera, Linn.; Willd. Sp.\\. 897. A decumbent or prostrate 

 annual, more or less hirsute with spreading hairs, 6 in. to a foot long or more. 

 Leaves all opposite, from ovate to ovate-lanceolate or oblong, 1 to 1:^ in. long, 

 very oblique and usually narrow at the base. Flower-heads minute and nu- 

 merous, crowded in head-like cymes, on short axillary peduncles. Involucre 

 about \ line long, the glands small and entii'e, without appendages. Capsule 

 f line diameter, more or less hairy with appressed hairs. Seeds ovoid, ob- 

 tusely 4-angled, slightly wrinkled. 



Common in waste places, Hance, Wilford. A very common weed in tropical and sub- 

 tropical countries, both in the New and the Old World. 



2. STILLINGIA, Gard. 



Flowers moncecious, in catkin-like spikes. Perianth small and calyx-like, 

 irregularly toothed or lobed. Male flowers pedicellate, in distinct sessile 

 clusters, occupying the greater part or the whole of the spike, with a small 

 bract under each cluster. Stamens 2 or 3, free or united at the base. An- 

 thers globose, didymous. Female flowers few at the base of some of the 

 spikes, and solitary under each bract. Ovary 3-celled, wdth 1 ovule in each 

 cell. Style 3-cleft, with linear or oblong entire lobes. — Trees or shrubs. 

 Leaves alternate, entire, undivided. Spikes terminal, solitary, or rarely pa- 

 niculate. 



A considerable genus (if made to include Sainum), distributed over the tropical regions of 

 the New and the Old World. 



Leaves rhoiuboidal, sharply acuminate, as broad as long 1. ^S". sebifera. 



Leaves oval-oblong, at least twice as long as broad. 



Leaves whitish underneath. Primary veins numerous, almost transverse 2. S. discolor. 



Leaves green on both sides. Primary veins few and oblique . . . . 3. 5. japonica. 



1. S. sebifera, A. de Juss. ; Miq. Fl. Ned. hid. iii. 693. A glabrous 

 tree. Leaves rhomboid, shai-ply acuminate, 1 to 2 in. long and broad, green 



