440 Lxix. EUPHORBiACByE. [Croton. 



often wanting. Disc of 5 glands, alternating with, petals. Stamens cen- 

 tral, numerous, filaments free, with the anthers inflected in bud. Ovary 

 2-4-, generally 3-celled, 1 ovule in each cell. Capsule dividing into 3, 2- 

 valved cocci. 



1. 0. oblongifolius,* Eoxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 685 ; DC. Prodr. xv. ii. 573. 

 — Syn. Q. Imvigatus, "Wall. Vern. Arjunna, Oudh ; Bara gaeh, Bengal. 



A middle-sized tree; extremities, inflorescence, calyx and ovary with 

 small adpressed circular silvery scales. Leaves pale green, glabrous, 

 oblong-lanceolate, dentate,' penniveined, bladei 5-10, petiole 1-2 in. long, 

 stipules small, caducous. Flowers pale yellowish-green, on short pedicels, 

 in the axils of minute bracts, in long terminal racemes, female and male 

 flowers generally mixed ; the latter more numerous. Calyx of 5 ovate 

 segments. Petals white, wooUy, as long as calyx-segments. Stamens 1 2. 

 Fruit subglobose, indistinctly 3-lobed, 6-furrowed, J in. diam. 



Common in the central and eastern part of the Gonda district, Oudh, spread- 

 ing in belts through miles of forests. Behar, Bengal, Burma, Ceylon. The 

 leaves are shed early in March, and turn red before falHng, the young foliage 

 appears soon afterwards, forming a pleasant contrast with the leafless forest 

 around. Fl. April (Oudh), Nov.-Feb. (Burma). Seed ripens April-May. Attains 

 30 ft., and a girth of about 3 ft. Trunk erect, short, often irregularly furrowed, 

 bark 1 in. thick, grey or brownish, inner bark red, coarsely fibrous. Wood 

 white, close-grained, moderately hard, cracks in seasoning, no distinct heartwood. 

 Bark leaves and fruit are used externally in native medicine. 



C. Tiglium, Linn. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 682 ; Hayne Arzneigew. xiv. t. 3 — the 

 Purging Groton ; Vern. JepaZ, jamal gota — is a small tree, glabrous, without 

 scales, pedicels and ovary hairy. Leaves ovate, acuminate, serrate, with 3 basal 

 nerves. Female fl. without petals. Capsule obtusely 3-comered, f in. long. 

 The seeds area powerful drastic purgative, and the oil is a valuable medicine 

 (Pharm. Ind. 200). Bengal, South India, Burma, Ceylon, Indian Archipelago. 



3. EXCfECARIA, Linn. 

 Trees or shrubs, mostly glabrous, with alternate, rarely opposite, stipu- 

 late and petiolate leaves. Flowers monoicous, rarely dioicous, in terminal 

 or axillary spikes ; female flowers generally few, at the base of the spike, 

 sometimes in separate spikes. Male flowers fasciculate, sessile or short- 

 pedicellate, the fascicles braoteate, generally with bracteoles between the 

 flowers. Calyx membranous, sometimes cup-shaped, generally of 2-3 seg- 

 ments or distinct sepals. No disc or petals. Stamens 2-3, filaments gener- 

 ally free, central, anthers didymous, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary 2-3- 

 celled, 1 ovule in each cell ; styles as many as cells more or less connate 

 at the base, stigmatose inside. Fruit a dry capsule or a berry, 2-3-celled, 

 and always opening locuUcidally in 3 valves. 



A few female flowers at the base of the male spikes. 

 Calj'X of male flowers 3-fid, segments ovate ; leaves rhomboid, 



long-petiolate entire I. E. sebifera. 



Calyx of male flowers of 3 distinct linear segments ; leaves 



elliptic-lanceolate, short-petlolate, serrate . . . 2. X acerifolia. 



* Linnajus made Crotou neuter, but Kp6Tuv is masculine. 



