152 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



exostoniic caruncle, with fleshy albumen, surrounding an axile 

 cylindrical embryo, straight or arched, with superior radicle. Calli- 

 triehe consists of delicate annual shrubs, with stems often floating. 

 The leaves are opposite, small, entire, three-nerved ; the flowers are 

 axillary, generally solitary. . Some dozen species ^ have been 

 described, which perhaps ou.ght to be reduced to one or two. These 

 are found in all hot and temperate climates. 



This large family which we reduce, as will be seen, to a hundi-ed 

 and fifty genera besides a tolerable number ill-known and doubtful 

 ones," was long ago recognized by classifiers. In 1592, Zaluziaist, 

 in his Methodus, already indicated a class of Euphorhia. LiNNiEUS, 



1 KrETZ. in Rciehh. Ic. Crit. t. 881-900.— 

 Gres. et GoDR. Ft. de Fi: i. 590.— Oliv. FI. 

 trap. Afi: i. 406. — Benth. Fl. Austral, ii. 

 491.— Lebel, Ctillitr. in'Mim. Snc. Clirrli. (1873), 

 129.— Walf. Ann. tu. 944. 



' These genera comprise true Euphorbiace*, 

 proved by the study of the female flowers, 

 their true place in the fanuly not being known, 

 and plants of which only the male flower is 

 known, so that it is impossible to say they are 

 Euphorbiaceae. They are as follows ; 



1. AcUnochatmi (Fenzl, in Flora [1844], i. 

 212). MenispermaceiB of the genus Coceiilus. 



2. Aiititaxis (MiERS, 3Icinsperm. 12). Eu- 

 phorbiacea3, according to Benth. and Hooker 

 {Qeii. 33), but not according to Mueller 

 [Prodr.) 1258. A. ? longifoliii Miers is certainly 

 a Menispermacese, type (in Adansonia, x. 155) 

 of the genus Oabila (see HUt. des. Plantcs, iii. 

 19, n. 4). 



3. AiistrobuxHS (Mm. Fl. Iwl.-Bat. Suppl. i. 

 444). A shrub (f) with opposite simple leaves, 

 and female flowers (these alone known) in 

 cymes (?) in the axil of coriaceous bracts. Ovary 

 naked, ovoid, surmounted by a style with three 

 short trisulcate divisions. Cells biovulate. — 1 

 species from Sumatra: A. iiitidiis (perhaps an 

 Asiatic section of Amama ?). 



4. Calpigipie (Bl., Mils. Lugrl.-Bat. ii. 192). 

 Male flowers, caly.x 4-fid, subvalvate ; 4 central 

 stamens with introrse anthers. Three-celled 

 ovary; cells l-ovidatc, styles bifid. A shrub 

 from Borneo and the Celebes, with alternate 

 penninerved leaves and monoecious flowers in 

 spikes (perhaps of the genus Cladogijiion, p. 

 18?). 



5. Centrodiscua (M. Arg. in Fl. Bran. Eu- 

 phorb. mox edend. ex comm. oral.) Gen. un- 

 known to us. 



6. Vesmonema, (Rafin. Herb. 23). Considered 



by the author as allied to Euphorbia and Trnc/ia ; 

 resembles the former by its long stipitate 

 ovary, but said to have hermaphrodite flowers 

 (North America). 



7. Elaoi/eiie (Miq. Fl. Tnd.-Bat. Suppl. 

 460). A tree from Sumatra, with alternate 

 leaves, stellate hairs. Female calyx, 5-p.artite. 

 Berry with thick coriaceous subligneous pericar]) 

 tricoccate and trisperraous {Baccniirea ? ). 



8. Fahrcnlieitia (Reichb. f. et Zoll. in Liii- 

 niea, xxviii. 599). Calyx and corolla 5-merou3. 

 Male flower with 10 stamens. Ovary 3-celled. 

 Capsule 3-coccate, 3-spermous. — 1 species from 

 Java, F. collhia {Codicciim ?). 



9. Forrhammcria (LiEBM. Nor. Plant. Me.r. 

 Bee. 4). Doubtful Eiiphorbiacem (B. H. Oeit. 

 104). Fruit aU spongy, mucous. Exalbu- 

 minous embryo, with convolute cotyledons 

 (MalvacefE f ?). 



10. Geriimn (Forsk. Fl. ^g.-Arab. 62). 

 Doubtful Euphorbiacea? (B. H. Geii. 330) ; 

 differing trom it by its hermaphrodite flowers 

 (M. Arg. Prodr. 1259). 



11. Lnscadiiim (Rafin. Fl. Ludor. 114). 

 A plant from Louisiana, wooUy fragrant with 

 alternate leaves, flowers in umbels, the female 

 surrounded by the male, apetalous. Caly.\ 

 entire, stamens about 12. Ovary three-celled. 

 CapsiJe 3-spcrmous (Crotoneie ?). 



12. Lobccarpns (Wight ct Arn. Prodr. 7). 

 A woody plant, with glabrous leaves. Flowers 

 axillary 1-3. Calyx 3-fid. Fruit 5-celled. 

 Cells 2-spermous. — 1 species [L. Candolleainis), 

 from Eastern India, perhaps of the genus Q-lo- 

 cliidion (M. Arg. Prodr. 1256). 



13. Metteiiia (Griseb. Fl. Brit. W.-liid. 

 43). Jlale cal>-x 3-fid. Stamens 7, of which 

 4 are exterior, with didymous anthers. Female 

 calyx 5-partite. Ovary 3-locular ; cells 1-ovu- 

 late. Capsule 3-celled. Trees with alternate 



