72 EUPH0RBIACEJ5. SiiUingia. 



* * Annuals: spil-es axillary : leaves lanceolate, toothed, S-neirved. 



3. S. (?) annua, Miill. Arg. Low (2 to 6 inches high), somewhat viscid, dichot- 

 omously branclied, the stems angled and leafy : leaves ovate to lanceolate, acu- 

 minate, narrowed to a broad winged petiole, stoiitly 3-nerved from the base of the 

 petiole, ciliate- or spinulose-dentate, an inch long : spikes shorter than the leaves, 

 with 1 to 3 naked pistillate flowers at base: staniinate bracts minute, 1-flowered; 

 the pistillate with small glands on long stout pedicels : capsule 2 lines in diameter, 

 with prominent gynophore ; central column Avanting : seed oblong-ovate, H lines 

 long, smooth, with no caruncle or a very small one. — DC. Prodr. xvl 11 GO. 

 S. spimdnsa, Torrey, Emory's Eep. 152. Sapium (?) annuum, Torrey, Bot. j\Iex. 

 Bound. 201. 



In tlie desert region of S. E. California and eastward ; on the Mohave {Emory, Parry, Cooper) ; 

 Fort \ xmvA. (Sdiott!) ; S. Utah, Bishop. A very peculiar species. 



S. TouuF.YANA {Sapium anmttim, var. dentaiiim, Torrey, Bot. Mex. Bound. 201 ; referred 

 douhtfuUy to Sehastiania Treculiana by Mueller, 1. c.)isanother somewhat similar annual species, 

 with sessile leaves, sharjily and sometimes doubly toothed, rounded above, cuneate at base, faintly 

 nerved, with short fimln-iate stijmles: spikes terminal, .short and slender: bracts very small, 

 ovate, acute, 1 -flowered, with shortly stipitate convex glands: pistillate calyx of 3 triangular 

 sepals : capsule 2 lines in diameter, with stout gynophore : seeds 1^ lines long, with conspicuous 

 caruncle. Valley of the Rio Grande ; distinct from Scbastiania Treculiana, which is of the same 

 region and of similar habit, but with oblanceolate leaves and smaller subglobose seeds. 



7. EUPHORBIA, Linn. 



Flowers monoecious, included in cup-shaped 4-5-lohed involucres, the lobes 

 usually alternating with as many fleshy glands which are rounded or often petaloid- 

 margined or crescent-shaped. Staniinate flowers numerous, of a single naked 

 stamen, jointed upon a short pedicel which has usually a minute bract at base : 

 anther-cells globose, distinct. Pistillate flower solitary in the centre of the invo- 

 lucre, pedicellate and soon exserted ; calyx none or minute. Ovary 3-celled and 

 3-ovuled : styles 3, usually 2-cleft. Seeds often roughened, rugose or pitted, with 

 or without caruncle. Cotyledons linear to ovate. — Mostly herbaceous (as to our 

 species) perennials or annuals ; leaves opposite or alternate or the upper ones verti- 

 cillate, entire or toothed, often stipulate ; involucres terminal or in the forks, solitary 

 or umbellate-clustered, sometimes pseudo-axillary. — Engelm. in Bot. Mex. Bound. 

 185 ; Boissier in DC. Prodr. xv^. 7. 



A vast genus (of about 700 species) of all temperate and warmer regions, of very various habit 

 and characteristics. Nearly 100 species are found within the limits of the United States, chiefly 

 in the southern portion, low annuals or often taller herbaceous perennials, very rarely somewhat 

 woody, with a single exception not shrubby or arborescent as frequently in the tropics. 



I. Glands of the involucre mostly with a colored membranaceous margin, entire or 

 toothed (ivithotit margin and concave in n. 1). 



§ 1. Leaves all opposite, oblique and unequal at base ; stipides pier sistent, scale-Wee 

 and entire or lacerate: involucres small. Our species mostly prostrate, 

 slender and rep)eatedly branched from, the base, with small leaves on. very 

 short jjetioles, the involucres solitary, rarely cymose, with 4 glands (2 to 4 

 m n. 1); seeds ash-colored. — Anisophyllum, Poeper. 



* Seeds smooth (occasionally torinkled in n. 3) : leaves entire. 



1. E. ocellata, Dur. & Hilg. Annual, prostrate or ascending, glabrous and 

 glaucous, the stems often G inches long : leaves thick, deltoid to ovate-oblong, acute, 

 often cordate at base, 2 to 5 lines long ; stipules setaceous, entire or sparingly cleft : 



