Euphorbiaceae 231 



Fruit mainly capsular. Seeds generally caruncled, often 

 hairy ; embryo straight. 



1. POL Y& ALA L. 



Herbs or shrubs with alternate, opposite or whorled 

 leaves and racemose, spicate or rarely solitary flowers. 

 Petals 3, united into a tube, which is split on the back 

 and more or less adnate to the stamens. Stamens 8 or 6, 

 monadelphous below or diadelphous. Capsule membran- 

 ous, compressed, dehiscent along the margin ; seeds 

 usually hairy. 



1. P. Californica Nutt. Stems many, slender, 5-20 cm. high, 

 from a woody base, mostly simple ; leaves oblong-lanceolate or 

 ovate-elliptic, 1-2.5 cm. long ; flowers rose-purple, on bracteate 

 pedicels, 2-6 mm. long; wings 5 mm. long, rounded, saccate at 

 base, inner sepals broadly spatulate, 1 cm. long or less ; lateral 

 petals linear-lanceolate, somewhat ciliate, equaling the broad 

 obtuse somewhat curved beak of the rounded hood ; fruit mostly 

 from cleistogamous flowers ; capsule glabrous, broadly ovate, 3mm. 

 long, retuse, narrowly margined ; seed pubescent ; caruncle calyp- 

 triform, wrinkled and bladdery. 



A more northern plant growing in shady places; rare within our limits, 

 being known only from the Mount Wilson trail at about 3000 feet altitude, 

 McClatchie. 



Family 47. EUPHORBIACEAE. SPURGE FAMILY. 



Monoecious or dioecious herbs, shrubs or trees with 

 acrid, often milky juice. Leaves opposite, alternate or 

 whorled, entire or toothed, sessile or petioled, sometimes 

 with glands at the base ; stipules present or wanting. 

 Inflorescence various. Flowers sometimes apetalous, 

 often reduced and subtended by an involucre, which 

 resembles a calyx. Stamens few or numerous, in 1 or 

 many series ; filaments distinct or united. Ovary usu- 

 ally 3-celled ; ovules 1-2 in each cell, pendulous ; styles 

 equaling the cells in number, simple, divided or many- 



