ECPHORBIACE.E. 109 



m\o\\\(iVQ {Cyathhim). Each stamon constitutes a male monandrous 

 flower, whose lower portion at the articulation of the filament would 

 represent a receptacle. The alternate scales with the staminal 

 bundles would form the calyces or epicalyces of the male flowers. 

 The gynœceum, constituting a central female flower, the disk, 

 which is sometimes observed below the ovary, would be a calycule or 

 female calyx. This interpretation, which wc consider inadmissible 

 and useless, is the fashion at present, and most authors ' follow it, 

 and will follow it doubtless for some time in their works. 



II. EICINUS SERIES. 



In Eicimis^ (fig. 153-162), the flowers are regular and monoe- 

 cious. On the convex receptacle of the male flower is inserted a 

 calyx, formed of five sepals (or more rarely of a smaller number), 

 definitely disposed in valvate prtefloration. Within are very 

 numerous stamens, whose ramified filaments in polyadelphous bundles 

 are terminated by fine divisions, supporting at the apex a small 

 bilocular extrorsc anther, with short almost globular cells, dehiscing 

 lengthwise.^ In the female flowers there is only a calyx and a gyna3- 

 ceum. The former is similar to that of the male flower. The free, 

 globular ovary has three cells, two of which are anterior. It is svu-- 

 mountcd by a cylindrical style, soon divided into three elongated 

 branches, flattened bi-partite, all bearing on their internal face and 

 reflexed edges large stigraatic papillœ coloured red. In the inner 

 angle of each cell is a descendent ovide, directed like that of 

 Euphorbia, and capped by an analogous obtiu-ator. The I'ruit is 

 three-shelled,'* smooth, or generally covered with prickles, which 



LiNNE, Adanson, B. Mirbel, Payer, etc., M. = Eieiuns, T. lint. 532, t. 307. — L. Gen. n. 



HiERON-iMus (in B'lt. Ztil. (1872), n. ll-i:!) yvi 73.5.— J. Gin. ,388.— G^iiRTN. Pruct. ii. 116, t. 



defends this opinion. li'7.— I;Amk. III. t. 792.— PoiR. DM. vi. 200 ; 



1 A. L. i)E .Tlssieu [Gen. 386) has spoken of Suppl. iv. 678.— Turp. m Diet. Sc. Nat. Atl. t. 



this inter] rotation doubtfully after Lamarck 276.— A. Jl-ss. Eiiphovb. 36.— Nees, Gen. ii. t. 



{Diet. ii. 412). R. Brown definitely adopted 38 ;53).— Spacii, 6V/<. ô ^;</o«, ii. 506, t. 76.— 



it in 1814 {Gen. Rem. 550 ; Misc. Works [cd. Endl. Geii. n. 5809. — Payer, Organog. hlh, t. 



Benn.], i. 32, this opinion is shared by A. de 110.— H. B.v. Enphor'uac. 289, t. 10. 11.— M. 



JussiEU, EiEPER, Wydleu, etc. (see Pl. in Ako. P/orf''. 1016. — Bak^b, Fl. Mnnrii. SIG. 



Dull. Snc. Dot. de Fr. I'iii. 29. — Boiss. Drodr. 8. 3 The pollen is " ellipsoid ; three furrows ; in 



War.m. Er. Kopp. hos IVorttm ...Copenh. water, spherical with three bands" (H. MoiiL 



[1871] ; in Adaii.sotiia, x. 197.— F. Sohm. in in Ann. Sc. Not. sc'r. 2, iii. 338). 



Flora [1871], n. 27, 28. — JI.ARG.in Flora [1872], * Or exceptionally 4-coccate. 

 65.— Celak, in Flora [1872], 153, etc.) 



