110 



NATUnAL IIISTOIIY OF PLANTS. 



already existed in a soft state below the surface of the ovary. 

 It opens elastically into six panels, and allows three seeds to escape,^ 

 (fig. 160, IGl), whose coat is spotted, the exostome being thickened 

 into a subglobular umbilicate bilobed caruncle. The embryo and 



Iticiiius communis. 







^^■n 



-^^^v^ !fV-.i-<^- 



Fig. 1.53. Habit (^y. 



oily albumen are analogous to those of Euphorhia. Several species 

 of Ricimis have been described ; but there is really only one very 

 varied in form, R. communis,^ a native, it is said, of India, and 

 uow naturalized in all warm countries. It there becomes arborescent, 



' See A. Gk. in Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 4. xvii. 

 312. 



2 L. Spec. ed. 1, 1007.— M. Arg. Pradr. 1017. 

 — A. africaiins Mill. — R. nmericanus Hort. — if. 

 armatiis Andb. — R. biidias Reichb. — R digitn- 

 tns Nor. — R. euroyœiis Nées. — .ff. glaiwits 

 lloFiMSG. — R. hyhridus BE^s. — R. incrmis Jacq. 



. — R. Krappn Steud. — R. lœris DC. — 7i. Icnes- 

 carpiis Bektol. — R. lividus jAca. — R. maeroear- 

 pus Stedu. — R mcdicus FoESic. — R. megalns- 

 permus Steud. — ? R. panlciilntKs Link. — R, 

 prfeinns hort. — R. pwpurasceiis Bertol. — 72, 

 riigonis Mill. — R. rutilant De8f. — 72. .■!««- 

 f/mncus hort. — R, scaha- Beutol. — i?. spiri')iiiL-< 



