SPURGE FAMILY 



435 



bei 



ng CI in- 

 British 



unpleasantly turpentinous, are eaten in Arctic regifms, 

 sidered as a preventive to scurvy. There is only i 

 species. 



I. F.MPi' 1KU3I (Crowberrv). 

 — Flower-scales 3 outer and 

 3 inner; stamens 3; style 

 sho>t ; stigma peltate, 6 — 9- 

 raycd ; berry globose, 6 — 9- 

 chambered. (Name from 

 the. Greek, eii pctroii, on 

 rock, from the character of 

 its liabitat.) 



I. E. nigrum (Black Crow- 

 berry, Crakeberry). — A 

 small, prostrate, leafy shrub, 

 with the habit of a Heatli; 

 stems much firanchcd ; leaves 

 linearoblong, so revolate 

 that their margins meet at 

 the back ; floieers in the a.xils 

 of the upper leaves, purplish : 

 Iwrnes black. — i\Iountainous 

 heaths in the north and 

 west : frequent. The berries 

 are much eaten b\ moor- 

 fowl. — Fl. April — June. Pe- 

 rennial. 



EMIHiTRUM NiG§L"M (Bia^-k ( fVZf/>:-r?y). 



Ord. f axil EuPHOREiACE.i;.- -Spurc.e Family 



A large Order containing about 200 genera and 3,000 species 

 distributed over most of the tropical and temperate regions of 

 the globe, and comprising trees, shrubs, and herbs. Their affini- 

 ties arc obscure ; for, though the Euroiiean species have no 

 perianth, many tropical genera appear to possess one. They 

 appear to be related, on the cine hand, to I'rtiedeeir, and, on the 

 other, to Malvdcea;. Manv African species are spinous, presenting 

 a stjperficial resemblance to Caelaeeir. Most plants in the Order 

 have milky juice, which is often acrid and contains rubber and 

 various alkaloids. The leaves arc usually scattered and simple, 

 and o.'"ten have deciduous stipules. The flowers are small, the 

 staiiieiis and earpels in separate flowers and accompanied hy braets 

 F !•■ 2 



