Euphorbia.] LXIX. EUPHORBIACE^E. 439 



cutta in 1798 (Roxb.) Rocky arid Mils near Coimbatur (Wight), Andamans 

 (S. Kurz). 



d. E. tortilis, Rottler ; Wight Ic. t. 898. Branches with 3 prominent angles, 

 spirally twisted. Flower-heads numerous, fasciculate on the angles above the 

 nodes. Dry hills near Madras and of the Coromandel coast. 



2. E. neriifolia, Linn, (not Roxb.) ; DC. Plantes Grasses, t. 46. Syn. 

 E. Ligularia, Roxb. 1. c. 465. Vern. Thor, Bombay ; Gangichu, Pb. ; 

 Munsa sij, Beng. 



A small tree. Stem cylindric, branches terete, but with 5, more or less 

 spirally twisted ribs. Spines twin. Leaves near the ends of branches, 

 cuneate or oblanceolate, 6-12 in. long, narrowed into petiole. Peduncles 

 solitary, in the sinus between the nodes with dichotomous cymes of 3-15 

 flower-heads. 



Common in the Konkan and Dekkan (Dalzell Bomb. Fl. 226). Cultivated 

 near villages in most parts of India, also in the Siwalik tract of the N.W. Him- 

 alaya. Fl. Feb. -March. The leaves fall in autumn and appear again after 

 flowering, in March or April. Attains 20 ft., stem often 12 in. diam. The 

 milk is employed externally in native medicine, and the root, mixed with black 

 pepper, for the cure of snake-bites. 



3. E. Nivulia, Hamilton in Trans. Linn. Soc. xiv. 286 ; Wight Ic. t. 

 1862. Syn. E. neriifolia, Roxb. 1. c. 467. Vern. Sij, Beng. 



A shrub, stems and branches round, without ribs or angles ; bran chiefs 

 in whorls of four. Spines in pairs, spirally arranged. Leaves cuneate or 

 obovate, sessile, fleshy, mucronate, 4-6 in. long. Peduncles 3-flowered, 

 from the nodes. 



Dry hills Garhwal, Peninsula, Guzerat, and Sindh (Dalzell Bomb. Fl. 226). 

 Leafless Jan.- March. Fl. March ; fr. April- May. Grown in hedges. 



4. E. Tirucalli, Linn. ; Roxb. 1. c. 470. Milk-bush. Vern. Lanka 

 sij, Beng. ; Sehnd, Hindi ; Tiru kalli, Malayalim. 



A small tree or shrub, with round stems and smooth green, terete 

 branches, not angled and unarmed. Leaves linear-lanceolate. Flower- 

 heads numerous, in clusters at the ends and in the forks of the branches. 



Indigenous in Africa, introduced into India, and now naturalised in the Penin- 

 sula and Bengal, cultivated in North- West India as far as Hushiarpur. Often 

 planted in hedges. Fl. during the rains. Attains 20 ft. ; the wood is strong, and 

 used for building. Milk extremely acrid and vesicant. 



t Euphorbia pulcherrima, Willd. Syn. Poinsettia pulcherrima, Graham ; 

 Bot. Mag. t. 3493, is a well-known garden shrub, with large crimson floral leaves. 

 Indigenous in Mexico and Central America, and now commonly grown in Indian 

 gardens as far north as Saharunpur. 

 2. CROTON, Linn. 

 Trees, shrubs or herbs, with alternate, petiolate leaves, often with scales 

 or stellate hairs. Flowers usually monoicous, in terminal spike-like rac- 

 emes, the female flowers at the base of the spike. Calyx 5-parted. Petals, 

 in the male flowers, alternating with calyx-segments, in the female flowers 



