208 



EUPHORBIACEAE. 



2. Croton monanthogynus Michx. 



Single-fruited Croton. (Fig. 228.) 

 Main stem slender, 4-10' high, topped 

 by a 3-5-rayed leafy umbel with rays 

 forked or umbellately branched; 

 leaves ovate or oblong, V-l^' long; 

 staminate flowers clustered at the 

 ends of erect peduncles, with 3-5 

 unequal calyx-segments, the same 

 number of petals and scale-like glands, 

 and 3-8 stamens; pistillate flowers 

 mostly solitary, on recurved pedicels, 

 with 5 equal calyx-segments, no petals, 

 and 5 glands; capsule ovoid or ob- 

 long-ovoid, 2"-2J" long; seeds oval 

 or orbicular, variegated, minutely 

 pitted, shining. 



Abundant in cultivated land, Coop- 

 er's Island, 1912. Introduced. Native 

 of the southeastern United States. 

 Flowers in summer and autumn. 



Croton discolor Willd.^ Yellowish Croton, West Indian, mentioned by 

 Jones in 1873, and said by Reade in 1883 to have been introduced on account 

 of its ornamental foliage, is a stellate-pubescent shrub 3°-6° high, with oblong 

 leaves about 1' long, yellowish beneath, its flowers spieate, its small depressed- 

 globose capsules rough. 



The ornamental garden Crotons belong to the genus Codiaeum especially 

 to Codiaeum variegatum. (See p. 219.) 



3. ACALYPHA L. 



Herbs or shrubs. Stems mostly erect. Leaves alternate, stipulate. 

 Flowers in spikes or spike-like racemes, the staminate cluster peduncled, each 

 flower in the axil of a minute bractlet, with a 4-parted calyx and 8-16 stamens 

 united at their bases. Pistillate flowers subtended by a foliaeeous bract, 

 which often equals or overtops the staminate, the calyx 3-5-parted; stigmas 

 fringed or lacerate; petals wanting in both kinds of flowers; capsule usually 

 of 3 2-valved carpels, each 1-seeded. [Greek, nettle.] About 250 species, 

 mostly tropical and subtropical. Type species: Acalypha virginica L. 



Acalypha hispida Burm. f., Chenile Plant, Philippine Medusa Plant, 

 East Indian, a shrub with ovate, toothed leaves, the red drooping spikes often 

 10' long, is planted for ornament. 



