VOI,. II.] 



SPURGE FAMILY. 



367 



i. Tragia urens L. Eastern Tragia. 



Tragia urens i,. Sp. PI. Ed. 2, 1391. 1763. 



Tragia innocua Walt. Fl. Car. 220. 1788. 



Perennial, dull green, pilose or hirsute. 

 Stem slender, erect, 4 / -i5 / tall, branched; 

 leaves obovate or ovate to linear, entire, un- 

 dulate or toothed, mostly obtuse at the apex, 

 narrowed or subcordate at base, short-petioled 

 or sessile, 5 // -2 / long ; flowers in terminal or 

 lateral spike-like racemes often 4' long; sta- 

 minate flowers with a 4-lobed calyx and 2 

 stamens; pistillate flowers several at the base 

 of the racemes, with a 5-6-lobed calyx; capsule 

 short-pedicelled, much depressed, 4 // -5 // in 

 diameter, sparingly pubescent; seeds sub- 

 globose, 2 //r long, smooth. 



In sandy soil, Virginia to Florida and Texas. 

 May-Aug. 



(Fig. 2300.) 



3. Tragia ramosa Torr. Branching 

 Tragia. (Fig. 2302.) 



T. ramosa Torr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. a: 245. 1826. 

 T. stylaris Muell. Arg. Linnaea, 34: 180. 1860. 



Perennial, light green, bristly with sting- 

 ing hairs. Stem slender, usually much 

 branched, the branches sometimes spreading, 

 2 / -i2 / long; leaves lanceolate, ovate-lanceo- 

 late or triangular-lanceolate, y-i'-i' long, 

 acute at the apex, coarsely and sharply ser- 

 rate, truncate or cordate at the base, short- 

 petioled ; racemes %'-!%' long, few-flowered; 

 staminate flowers very short-pedicelled, with 

 a 4~5-lobed calyx and 4-6 stamens; pistillate 

 flowers solitary with a 5-lobed calyx sub- 

 tended by a 3-lobed bract; capsule much de- 

 pressed, $"-$" in diameter, bristly; seeds 

 globose, 2" in diameter, orange, more or less 

 variegated. 



In dry soil, Missouri to Texas, Colorado and 

 Arizona. July-Aug. 



2. Tragia nepetaefolia Cav. Cat- 

 nep Tragia. (Fig. 2301.) 



Tragia nepetaefolia Cav. Icones 6: 37. pi, 557, 



/ /. 1801. 



Perennial, hispid with stinging hairs. 

 Stem slender, erect or reclining, 6 / -i5 / long; 

 leaves triangular-ovate or lanceolate, 5 // -2 / 

 long, dentate-serrate, cordate, short-petioled, 

 the lower sometimes orbicular; racemes 5"- 

 i/4 / long, many-flowered; staminate flowers 

 mostly with a 3-lobed calyx and 3 stamens; 

 pistillate flowers with a 5-lobed calyx; cap- 

 sule much depressed, $" in diameter, hir- 

 sute; seeds globose, chestnut brown, smooth, 

 2" in diameter. 



In sandy soil, Kansas to Mexico and New 

 Mexico. May-Oct. 



