43S RI'PHORBIACE.E 



mostly di(ccious; pcrianlh of 3 leaves; stamens ij — 20; ovary 3- 

 chaiubered, 2 -seeded. 



I. Iu'riii')Ki;iA (Spurge), — The IJrilish species all herbs, vvrth 

 milky juice; leaves sim]ile ; flowers monfecious, in cup-shaped, 

 4 — sdobed invuluLrc Willi roundish OT crescent-shaped glands 

 alternating; with the lo])es ; staminale fldipers each of i pedicellate 

 stamen ; carpdlaie jluivcr solitary, drooping, pedicellate, of 3 

 united carpels ; stig)iias 2-cleft ; jriiit 3,-lobed, 3-seeded. (Name 

 from Euiihorbus, phjsician to Julja, an ancient king of Mauretauia.) 



'■ Leaves flpjinsiie, slipulale 



1. E. Peplis (Red Spurge). — A prosti-Jite, glabr(jus, and glaucous 

 plant, beautifully tinged with red, repeatedly forked ; leaves oppo- 

 site, stalked, blunt, auricled on one sid,e at the base, thick, i in. 

 long ; tuvoliieres axillary, with oblong glands. — Sandy sea-.shores 

 in the south ; rare. — Fl. July — September. Annual. 



** Leaves exslipiilale, geiierallv sealtered 



I Umbels mostly ^-I'dyeJ ; uivolueial glands riiiiiidish, udlhout 



eusps 



2. E. Helioscopia (Sun Spurge). — Varying in size from a few 

 inches to il foot in height, generally glabrous, with obovate leaves 

 serrate above the middle, and easily distinguished by the golden- 

 green hue of its spreading umbel, which is large in proportion to 

 the size of the plant, and has 5 rays \thich aie often repeatedly 

 forked; capsule smooth. — (Cultivated ground; abundant. — Fl. June 

 — C'ctobcr. Annual. 



3. E. plalypbillos (Broad-leaved Spurge). — A similar, erect, 

 slightly branched, glabrous or hairy species, with cordate Paves, 

 finely serrate above the middle, 3 — 5-rayed umbel, re})eatedly 

 forked ; 7 — S staminale flowers in each involucre ; eapsule covered 

 with hemispherical warts. — Fields, chiefly in the south; rare. — Fl. 

 July — October. Annual. 



4. E. 5/r;V/a (Upright Spurge). — Closely allied to the preceding, 

 but more slender, with more ascending branches, erect, 2 — 3 feet 

 high ; with thinner leaves ; generally 3-rayed umbel : rarely more 

 than 2 staminale flowers in each in\'olucre ; eapsule only half 

 the size, with longer, cylindric warts.— 'W'oods on limestone in 

 (jloucestershire and Monmouth; very rare. — M. lune — August. 

 Annual- 



5. E. Iiibfrra (Irish Spurge). --A downy plant, 1 — 2 feet high, 

 scarcely bram bed, with thin leaves 2 — '4 in. long and an inch or 

 more across, a 5-rayed umbel and large eapsules with cylindric 



