264 



CLASSIFICATION 



sule, dehiscing septicidally into 3 indehiscent cocci; 

 sometimes each of the latter dehisces loculicidally, 

 scattering by the force of dehiscence the seeds to a 

 great distance. Seeds albuminous, with or without 

 aril at the hilum. 



This is a large family, abounding in tropical coun- 

 tries. Common plantsi bharenda or aranda or Castor- 

 oil Plant {Ricinus communis) (fig. 233), a common 

 erect shrub, sometimes tree-like, with alternate peltate 

 palmately-lobed, simple leaves, and terminal racemose 



Stamen 

 Fig. 233. — Castor Oil — Bharenda or rerhi {Ricinus communis) 



panicles of androgynous monoecious flowers, stamens 

 polyadelphous or in much-branched clusters, capsules 

 dehiscing with explosion, and the seeds scattered to a 

 great distance by the force of dehiscence ; lal-bharenda 

 or sayambara {Jatropha gossypifoHa), bag-bharenda 

 {Jatropha Curcas), both of which are common shrubs 

 on roadsides or hedges, with monoecious flowers in 

 dichotomous cymes, the central flowers being female 

 and the male flowers monadelphous ; the Coral Plant 

 {Jatropha multifida), a common garden plant with 

 red flowers in dichotomous cymes and digitately- 

 multifid simple leaves; teshira-monsha {Euphorbia 

 antiquorum), a common hedge plant with a succulent 

 leafless spinous 3-angled irregularly-narrowed stem, 



