SPURGE FAMILY. 289 



qualities, hence it is called Wild Ipecac. E. La'thyrus, L., the Caper 

 Spurge, a biennial species, is found in gardens, and is partially natural- 

 ized ; it has a stout stem 2-3 feet high, with thickish, mostly opposite 

 leaves ; flowers in umbel-like clusters, the glands on the involucre with 2 

 short horns ; this is sometimes called Mole Tree, from a popular notion 

 that it kept moles out of gardens. An allied perennial species with run- 

 ning root-stocks, E. Esula, L., is naturalized ia some parts of Massachu- 

 setts, where it is likely to become troublesome. 



2. CNIDOSCO'LUS, Pohl. SPURGE-NETTLE. 



[Greek, Knide, a nettle, and Skolos, a prickle.] 



Flowers monrecious, in a terminal open forking cyme ; the fertile ones 

 usually in the lower forks. STAMINATE FL. Calyx corolla-like (white), 

 salver-shaped, 5-lobed. Stamens 10, monadelphous below, the inner ones 

 longer. PISTILLATE FL. Calyx as in staminate flowers, but 5-parted. 

 Ovary 3-celled : styles 3, short, somewhat united, many-cleft. Pod 3- 

 celled, bristly-hairy, 3-seeded, separating into three 2-valved carpels. 

 Perennial herbs with stinging bristles. 



1. C. stimulo'sa, Gray. Stem branching; leaves roundish-heart- 

 shaped, 3 - 5-lobed, lobes sinuate toothed. 

 STINGING CNIDOSCOLUS. Spurge-nettle. Tread-softly. 



Root long with long branches. Stem 6-18 inches high, and, as well as the leaves, 

 covered with stinging bristly hairs. Leaves about 2 inches long and somewhat wider. 

 Sterile flowers about half an inch in length, hairy. 



Virginia and southward. Throughout the summer. 



Obs. A troublesome weed in light sandy soils, its long branching roots 

 penetrating 3-5 feet. The prickles produce great irritation for a 

 short time. 



3. EI'CINUS, Tournef. CASTOR-OIL PLANT. 



[Latin, Ricinus, a tick, or bug ; from the resemblance of the seeds.] 



Flowers monoecious. Calyx 3 - 5-parted, the lobes valvate in aestiva- 

 tion. Corolla none. STAMINATE FL. Stamens numerous ; filaments 

 variously united and much branched ; anthers with the cells distinct 

 and pendulous from the apex of the filament. Ovary globose, 3-celled ; 

 cells 1-ovuled ; style short ; stigmas 3, deeply 2-parted, oblong, colored, 

 plumose. Capsule mostly echinate, 3-lobed ; cells or carpels 1-oeeded. 

 1. R. GOMMU'NIS, L. Stem herbaceous, hoary; leaves alternate, petio- 

 late, peltate, palmately 5 - 7-lobed, the lobes lanceolate, glandular-ser- 

 rate ; capsule echinate. 



COMMON RICINUS. Castor-oil Bean. Palma Christi. 

 Fr. Le Eicin ordinaire. Germ. Der Wunderbaum. Span. Ricino. 



Root annual. Stem 4-6 feet high, stout, branched, terete, nodose, smooth, mostly 

 purplish and covered with a glaucous powder. Leaves 6-12 inches across, palmate-lobed, 



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