466' THE SPtTEGE FAMTLT. 



10. Sea Spurge. Euphorbia Paralias, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 195.) 



A perennial, with a short, hard, almost woody stock ; the stems ascending 

 or erect, 6 inches to near a foot high, crowded with short, concave, rather 

 thick and leathery leaves, of a very pale green. Umbel compact, of 5 rays, 

 and often a few axillary flowering .branches below it. Lower leaves narrow, 

 but passing gradually into the broad, ovate-cordate floral leaves. Glands 

 of the involucre crescent-shaped, with short points. Capsules smooth. 

 Seeds not pitted. 



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

 of Europe to Holland. In Britain, along the southern coasts, up to DubHn 

 in Ireland, and to Cumberland and Suffolk in England. Fl. autumn. 



11. Iieafjr Spurge. Euphorbia Esula, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1399.) 



A glabrous perennial, readily distinguished from all the preceding species 

 by the terminal umbel of 8 to 12 or more rays. Stems 1 to 14 feet high, 

 the leaves varying from oblong-lanceolate to linear, of a glaucous green. 

 Eloral leaves broadly cordate or orbicular, often yellow. Glands of the 

 involucre crescent-shaped, and rather pointed. Capsules miautely granu- 

 lated, but not warted. Seeds not pitted. 



On river-banks and hilly wastes, in central and especially southern Eu- 

 rope, and western Asia, extending, however, northwards into southern Scan- 

 dinavia. Probably not indigenous in Britain, but is said to have esta- 

 blished itself on the banks of the Tweed, and in a few locahties in southern 

 Scotland. Fl. .summer. Starved, narrow-leaved states of this plant have 

 been taken for E. Cyparissias, a more southern Continental species. 



12. Wood Spurge. Euphorbia amygdaloides, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 256.) 



Stock perennial and almost woody, with several erect, often reddish 

 stems, 1 to 2 feet high, glabrous or sliglitly hairy. Stem-leaves rather 

 crowded towards the middle of the stem, lanceolate or narrow-oblong; the 

 upper ones more distant, and shorter. Umbel of 5 long rays, not much 

 divided, with a few axiUary peduncles below it. Floral leaves of each pair 

 always connected into one large orbicular one, of a pale yellowish-green. 

 Glands of the involucre crescent-shaped, with rather long points. Capsules 

 and seeds smooth. 



In woods and thickets, in temperate and southern Ein-ope and western 

 Asia, but not extending into Scandinavia. In Britain, common over tlie 

 greater part of England and southern Ireland , rare in northern England, 

 and unknown in Scotland. Fl. spring. 



II. niERCURV. MERCURIALIS. 



Erect herbs, with opposite leaves, and small green flowers in httle clus- 

 ters, either sessile, stalked, or spiked in the axils of the leaves, the males and 

 females distinct, on the same or on separate plants. Perianth of 3 seg- 

 ments. Male flowers with 9 to 12 stamens. Females with a sessile 2-celled 

 ovary, crowned by 2 simple styles, and surrounded by 2 or 3 smaU fila- 

 ments. Capsule 2-celled, otherwise like that of Spurge. 



A smaU genus, spread over the temperate regions of the southern as well 



