. ET7PH0EBIACE^. 457 



Stem erect or decumbent at the base, the lower leaves alternate, and no 

 stipules. 

 Glands of the involucre rounded on the outer edge. 

 Annuals or biennials. Leaves finely toothed. 



Leaves obovate, very obtuse. Capsules smooth 2. Sun S, 



Stem-leaves oblong, usually pointed. Capsules more or less 



warted 3. Broad S. 



Perennials. Leaves entire. 



Umbel compact. Capsule glabrous, much warted . . . » . . . 4. Irish S. 

 Umbel loose. Capsule smooth, or rough with small glandular 



dots, often hairy 5. Hairy S. 



Glands of the involucre crescent-shaped, the two points turned outwards. 



Floral leaves of each pair united at the base 12. Wood S. 



Floral leaves all distinct. 

 Umbel of 3 or 4 rays. 

 Low, green annuals, seldom above 6 inches high. 



Stem-leaves linear 7. Ihffarf S. 



Stem-leaves broadly obovate, stalked 6. Petty S. 



Tall, very glaucous biennial, with large capsules 8. Caper S. 



Umbel of 5, rarely 6, rays. 

 Leaves crowded, thick and leathery. Umbel compact. Seeds 



smooth 10. Sea S. 



Leaves rather thin. Umbel spreading. Seeds pitted .... 9. Portland S, 

 Umbel of 8 or more rays 11. Leafy S. 



The ^. Characias (Eng. Bot. t. 442), a tall, south European species, with 

 a handsome, oblong, crowded, leafy panicle, variegated by the contrast of 

 the purple glands of the involucre and the green bracts, has been often cul- 

 tivated in gardens, and where once planted will remain many years, but 

 does not permanently estabhsh itself. One or two tropical slirubby species 

 with scarlet involucres are cultivated in our hothouses, and several south 

 African succulent ones may be met with in cactus-houses. 



1. Purple Spnrge. Euphorbia Feplis, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 2002.) 



A glabrous annual, of a glaucous or purple hue ; the very short main stem 

 loses all its leaves before flowering, and divides close to the base into an 

 umbel of 3 or 4 rays, so that the whole plant appears to consist of the re- 

 peatedly forked flowering branches, closely prostrate on the sand, and form- 

 ing patches of 6 inches to a foot or more in diameter. Floral leaves oppo- 

 site, numerous, very oblique, broadly oblong, very obtuse and rather thick, 

 with minute stipules at their base. Flower-heads vei^ small. Glands of the 

 involucre expanding into small, whitish or purple scales. Capsule glabrous 

 and smooth. Seeds not pitted. 



In maritime sands, all round the Mediterranean, and up the western 

 coasts of Europe to the EngUsh Channel. In Britain, only on the south- 

 ern and south-western coasts of England, where it is now becoming scarce. 

 Fl. summer and autumn. 



2. Sun Sp\u-ge. Euphorbia Helioscopia, Liau. 



(Eng. Bot t. 883.) 

 An erect or ascending annual, 6 or 8 inches to a foot higbi, simple or 

 with a few branches ascending from the base. Stem-leaves obovate or 

 broadly oblong, and narrowed into a short stalk ; floral leaves broadly obo- 

 vate or orbicular, all very obtuse and minutely toothed. Umbel of 5 rays, 

 each ray once or twice forked at the end, but the branches so short that 

 the flowers and floral leaves appear crowded into broad, leafy heads. Grlands 

 of the involucre entire and rounded. Capsules glabrous aud smooth. Seeds 

 pitted, 



as 



L 



