EUrHORBIACE^E. (SPURGE FAMILY.) 431 



the involucre, soon protruded on a long pedicel, consisting of a 3-lobed and 3- 

 cclled ovary with no calyx, or a mere vestige. Styles 3, each 2-cleft ; the stig- 

 mas therefore 6. Pod separating into 3 one-seeded carpels, which split elasti- 

 cally into 2 valves. Seed often caruncled. — Plants (herbs in the United States), 

 * with a milky acrid juice. Peduncles terminal, often umbellate-clustered ; in the 

 first section mostly appearing lateral, but not really axillary. (Named after 

 Euphorbia, physician to King Juba.) v. vO-t-M'V^ C4S<n4cC /»• *■* V 

 Genus newly elaborated for this work by Dr. George Engelmann. 



A. APPENDICULATVE. Glands of the involucre with petal-like, usually white 

 or rose-colored, and entire or toothed margins or appendages ; these almost, obsolete 

 in No. 1. 



§ 1. ANISOPHYLLUM. Leaves all. similar, opposite, on short petioles, small, 

 oblique at base, furnished with awl-shaped or scaly and often fringed persistent 

 stipules : stems much branched, spreading or usually procumbent : involucres soli- 

 tary in the forks of the branches or in terminal or pseudo-lateral clusters, small, 

 always with 4 glands: seeds without a caruncle: all our species are annuals, 

 flowering throughout summer and autumn. 



* Seeds smooth and even, ash-colored: leaves entire, glabrous, as is the whole plant, 

 and pale green or glaucous. 



1. E. polygonif61ia, L. Prostrate-spreading; leaves oblong -linear, ob- 

 tuse, niucronate, slightly cordate or obtuse at base (4" -8" long) ; stipules seta- 

 ceously divided ; peduncles in the forks of the branches, as long as the petioles ; 

 lobes of the involucre longer than the minute not appendaged glands ; pods ob- 

 tusely angled; seeds ovate (oA r er 1" long, the largest of this section). — Sandy 

 shores of the Atlantic and of the Great Lakes. 



2. E. Geyeri, Engelm. Procumbent; leaves oblong-ovate, obtuse, slightly 

 mucronate, mostly acutish at base, lowermost cordate (3" -6" long) ; stipules 

 setaceously divided ; peduncles as long as petioles, at length in loose foliaceous 

 lateral clusters ; glands of the involucre with narrow white or red appendages ; 

 pods acutely angled; seeds ovate, acute at one end (£" long). — Sandy soil, 

 Illinois (Geyer, Vasey) to Wisconsin and Minnesota (7'. J. Hale). 



The nearly allied E. petaloidea, Engelm., of Kansas and Nebraska, extends 

 into Western Missouri and Iowa, and may cross the upper Mississippi ; it is dis- 

 tinguished by its half-erect spreading growth ; longer, narrower, and retuse or 

 emaririnate leaves ; peduncles longer than petioles ; larger involucres, the broadly 

 campanulate appendages much larger and conspicuous ; capsule obtusely angled ; 

 seeds nearly a line long. 



3. E. Serpens, H. B. K. Stems filiform, prostrate, and often rooting ; 

 leaves round-ovate, obtuse or cordate at base (only |" - l£" long) ; stipules mem- 

 branaceous, triangular; peduncles much longer than petioles, at length in loose 

 foliaceous lateral clusters ; glands of the very small involucre with minute crenu- 

 late appendages ; pods acutely angled ; seeds obtusely angled (£" long or less). 

 (E. herniarioidos, Xutt. and Ed. 2.) — In rich soil, Illinois, especially in the 

 alluvions of the larger rivers, and southwestward : also adventive on ballast 

 sand-banks of the Delaware near Philadelphia. (I. Martindale, C. F. Parker.) 



