SECT. II 



PHANEROGAMIA 



565 



these roots forms mandioc or cassava meal, the finest varieties of which, as tapioca 

 or Brazilian arrowroot, are of commercial importance. The shrub, wliicli is a 

 native of Brazil, is now cultivated throughout the tropics. 



Ricinus Communis (Fig. 543) is a tall 



shrub of tropical Africa. In our climate 



it is annually killed by the frost. The 



hollow stem bears large palmately divided 



0.t-*;T;^S4j^"^' leaves. The terminal inflorescences (Fig. 



544) are overtopped by vegetative lateral 



Fig. 544. — Rkiniis communis. Inflor- 

 escence (I nat. size) ; young fruit cut 

 through longitudinally. Official. 



Fig. 545. — Leaf of rolngoniiui ampUxicaulc show- 

 ■ iiig the ochrea (st). (K nat. size.) 



branches. The male flowers, situated towards the base, have a membranous calyx 

 of 4-5 sepals, enclosing the branched stamens ; the end of each branch bears a 

 theca The female flowers, nearer the summit of the inflorescence, have 3-5 sepals 

 and a large tripartite ovary. The latter is covered with warty prickles, and bears 



ii 



