436 LXIX. EUPHORBIACE^. [Euphorbia. 



Order LXIX. EUPHORBIACE^). 



Trees, shrubs, or herbs, often with acrid milky juice ; leaves alternate 

 or opposite, usually stipulate, rarely compound. Flowers always unisexual. 

 Perianth very various ; a calyx only or calyx and corolla, both present or 

 both sometimes wanting. Stamens various. Ovary superior, 3-celled, rarely 

 2- or 1 -celled, or with more than 3 cells ; styles as many as carpels, free or 

 connate, usually stigmatose on the ventral face ; ovules 1 or 2 in each cell, 

 pendulous. Fruit capsular, separating into its constituent carpels when ripe, 

 or succulent and indehiscent. Seed oily, albuminous; embryo straight with 

 a superior radicle and flat cotyledons in a fleshy albumen. Royle 111. 326. 

 This large Order (containing upwards of 3300 species) is distributed nearly 

 over the entire globe. Buxus and Sarcococca, which are here included, 

 are commonly classed under a separate Order, Buxacece, distinguished by 

 styles distinct from the base and the absence of milky juice. The other 

 genera here mentioned are classed under the following tribes by Joh. 

 Miiller in vol. xv. pt. ii. of De Candolle's Prodromus. They all belong 

 to the series Platylobece with broad plane cotyledons. 

 Phyllanthece. Ovary-cells with 2 ovules ; lobes of male calyx imbricate 



Bischoffia, Antidesma, Putranjiva, Phyllanthus, Breynia, Melan- 



thesoj)sis, Securinega, Andrachne. 

 Brideliece. Ovary-cells with 2 ovules ; lobes of male calyx valvate 



Bridelia, Lebidieropsis, Cleistanthus. 

 Crotonece. Ovary-cells with 1 ovule ; lobes of male calyx imbricate ; 



stamens inflexed in bud Croton. 

 Acalyphece. Ovary-cells with 1 ovule; lobes of male calyx valvate; 



stamens erect in bud Trewia, MaMotus, Homonoya, Ricinus, Hevea. 

 Hippomanece. Ovary-cells with 1 ovule ; lobes of male calyx imbricate ; 



stamens erect in bud Excoecaria, Jatropha, Givotia, Oodiceum. 

 Euphorbiem. Ovary-cells with 1 ovule ; flowers involucrate, involucres 



calyciform, enclosing male and female flowers Euphorbia. 



Flower-heads resembling single flowers, consisting of a calyx- 

 like involucre, including several male flowers (single 

 stamens) and 1 central female flower (a single pedicel- 

 late pistil) 1. Euphorbia. 



Male and female flowers distinct, not united in heads. 



Flowers monoicous or dioicous, in spikes racemes or pan- 

 icles ; ovary-cells 1 -ovulate. 

 Male flowers with 5 petals alternating with calyx- seg- 

 ments ; flowers monoicous 2. Croton. 



Petals wanting; stamens free, or only connate at the base. 



Calyx-segments 3-4, imbricate ; stamens 3-4 ; flowers 



usually monoicous ; male flowers in bracteate 



spicate clusters 3. Exccecaria. 



Calyx-segments 5, valvate ; stamens numerous ; male 

 flowers in simple racemes or spikes. 

 Leaves opposite ; flowers dioicous ; fruit a fleshy 



drupe, not dehiscent 4. Trewia. 



Leaves alternate ; flowers monoicous ; fruit a dehis- 

 cent capsule : 5. Mallotus. 



Petals wanting; filaments connate into a many-branched 



central column 6. Homonoya. 



