086 EUPHORBIACE^E. (SPURGE FAMILY.) 



glands at its sinuses. Sterile flowers numerous and lining the base of the invo- 

 lucre, each from the axil of a little bract, and consisting merely of a single sta- 

 men jointed on a pedicel like the filament: anther-cells globular, separate. 

 Fertile flower solitary in the middle of the involucre, soon protruded on a long 

 pedicel, consisting of a 3-lobcd and 3-celled ovary with no calyx, or a mere ves- 

 tige. Styles 3, each 2-clcft; the stigmas therefore 6. Pod separating into 3 

 one-seeded carpels, which split elastically into 2 valves. Seed often caruncled. 



Plants (herbs in the United States), with a milky acrid juice, the uppermost 

 leaves often in whorls or pairs. Peduncles lateral or terminal, often umbellate- 

 dustered. (Named after Ilnphorbus, physician to King Juba.) 



For the following elaboration of the genus I am indebted to DR. ENGELMANN. 



$ 1. Leaves (all opposite and similar, small) furnished with awl-shaped or scaly slip* 

 tiles: steins muck branched: involucres solitary in the forks or axils, sometime* 

 crowded or clustered on the branchlets : root annual in all our species: plants jloiccr 

 ing all the summer and autumn. (Stipulata;.) 



# Seeds smooth and even, ash-colored : leaves entire, glabrous, as is the tchole plant, 

 and pale or slightly glaucous. 



1. E. polygOKlifolia, L. (SHORE SPURGE.) Prostrate-spreading; 

 leaves oblong-linear, obtuse, mucronate, slightly cordate or obtuse at the oblique 

 base (4" -8" long) ; peduncles equalling the short petioles; glands of the invo- 

 lucre minute, not appendaged ; pod obtusely angled; seeds ovate (1" long, the 

 largest of this section). Sandy shore of the Atlantic and of the Great Lakes. 



2. E. Oeycri, Engelm. Procumbent ; leaves oblomj -orate, obtuse at the 

 apex and the oblique base ; peduncles equalling the petioles ; appendages of the 

 involucre petal-like (white), orbicular; pod acutely angled; seeds obtusely tri- 

 angular (" long). Sandy soil, Beardstown, Illinois (Geyer), and southwest- 

 ward. This is a small-seeded form (var. microspcrma) : other forms in Mis- 

 touri and Texas have larger petal-like appendages and larger seeds. 



3. E. lierniarioldcs, Nutt. Prostrate; leaves round-ovate, obtuse at 

 the base (only "-2^" long) ; peduncles much longer than the petioles, lateral, sin- 

 gle or clustered ; appendages of the involucre minute and crenulate, or none ; pod 

 acutely angled; seeds obtusely angled (|'long). Banks of the Mississippi 

 and lower Ohio, in rich alluvial soil, and south west ward. 



# * Seeds minutely roughened, ash-colored: leaves serrulate , hairy. 



4. E. liiimisfrfita, Engelm. mss. Procumbent, puberulcnt or hairy; 



elliptical with an oblique obtuse base, serrulate towards the apex, sparse- 

 ly hairy underneath ('-|' long, somctrmes with a brown spot above); pedun- 

 < i.-s rather shorter than the petioles, crowded in lateral clusters; involucre cleft 

 on the back, its appendages orbicular or truncate and nearly entire; pod acute- 

 iy angled, puberulent ; seeds ovate, 4-angled (|" long). With the lat. 



Branches 6' - 20' long. Distinguished from the next by its broader leaves, 

 slit involucre, and ro-mder, granulated (not transversely grooved) seed. 



* * * Sen Is tranxrrr*;}t/ irrinklid-pittid : hurts st irate, often hairy and falcate. 



5. E. maciilfita, L. (SPOTTED SPURGE.) Pn strata; leaves very 

 obli .[un at the base, oblong-linear (4" -6" long), serrulate towards the apex, 



