EUPHOEBIACEAE. 179 



sepals and numerous stamens. Pistillate flowers with caducous sepals and a 

 3-celled ovary. Fruit a capsule. 



1. B. communis L. Plants herbaceous or shrubby, 1-5 m. tall, or larger south- 

 ward: leaf -blades nearly orbicular, 6-11-lobed: capsules 12-16 mm. in diameter, 

 echinate. M. Occasional, in waste places and about gardens. Nat. of the 

 tropics. Sum. CASTOR-BEAN. CASTOR-OIL PLANT. 



4. CHAMAESYCE S. F. Gray. Annual or perennial herbs, or shrubs. 

 Leaves opposite: blades oblique at the base. Involucres axillary or in axillary 

 cluster-like cymes, each with 4 nearly naked or appendaged glands, one sinus 

 being glandless. Capsules smooth, sometimes pubescent. Seeds smooth or 

 transverse-wrinkled. Sum. SPURGE. 



Plants branched at the base, the branches prostrate : capsules less than 2 mm. 



wide : involucre-appendages minute. 

 Capsules pubescent : involucre not split : stem and branches with appressed hairs. 



1. C. maculata. 



Capsules glabrous : involucre split on one side : stem and 



branches with spreading hairs. 2. C. Rafinesquei. 



Plants not branched at the base, erect or ascending : capsules 



over 2 mm. wide : involucre-appendages relatively large. 3. C. PreslU. 



1. C. maculata (L.) Small. Stem and branches puberulent or pilose: leaf- 

 blades oblong or ovate-oblong, 8-12 mm. long: involucres mostly 1 mm. long, 

 pubescent; appendages white or red, narrow, nearly equal, entire: capsules 

 less than 1.5 mm. wide, pubescent: seeds nearly 1 mm. long, black beneath the 

 pale coating. Common, in cultivated and waste grounds. MILK-PURSLANE. 



2. C. Rafinesquei (Greene) Small. Stem and branches hirsute: leaf -blades 

 oblong, oblong-ovate, or ovate, 4-14 cm. long, obtuse or acute, light-green 

 above, pale-green and with scattered hairs beneath, serrate, short-petioled : 

 involucres about 1 mm. long, glabrous; appendages obscure or very narrow and 

 pale: capsules globose-ovoid, less than 2 mm. wide, glabrous: seeds less than 

 1.5 mm. long, red beneath the gray coating. Local, on dry banks on and near 

 the Welch mountains. Quartzite. 



3. C. Preslii (Guss.) Arthur. Stem and branches glabrous or nearly so: leaf- 

 blades oblong or linear-oblong, varying to ovate or obovate, 1.5-3.5 cm. long, 

 usually red-margined: involucres in loosely clustered cymules; appendages 

 usually white, entire : capsules fully 2 mm. wide. Common, in fields and 

 waste places. 



5. TITHYMALOPSIS Kl. & Garcke. Perennial herbs often topped by an 

 umbel. Leaf -blades entire. Involucres scattered or somewhat clustered in an 

 umbel-like inflorescence, each with appendaged glands. Capsule smooth. Seeds 

 punctate. 



1. T. corollata (L.) Small. Plants bright-green, 2-9 dm. tall: leaf -blades 

 linear, oblong, or oblong-spatulate, 2-4 cm. long: involucres numerous, con- 

 spicuous, 1-1.5 mm. long: appendages white, mostly cuneate or orbicular- 

 cuneate: capsules exserted, 3.5-4.5 mm. broad: seeds 2.5 mm. long. Common, 

 in fields and thickets, and on roadsides. Sum. FLOWERING- SPURGE. 



6. TITHYMALUS Adans. Annual or perennial herbs or partially woody 

 plants topped by an umbel. Leaf-blades entire or finely toothed. Stipules 

 wanting. Involucres in open or compact cymes, each with 4 naked or ap- 

 pendaged glands. Capsule smooth or tuberculate. Seeds pitted. Sum. 

 SPURGE. 



