EUPHOEBIACE^. (sPURGE FAMILY.) 405 



2. S. aquatica, n. sp. Shrubby ; stem single, erect from a fibrous spongy 

 root, umbellately or alternately branched above, thickened near the base ; leaves 

 lanceolate, mostly acute, tapering at each end, short-petioled, sharply serrulate, 

 the uppermost yellowish ; stipules bristly ; spikes mostly shorter than the leaves, 

 terminal and in the forks of the stem ; glands peltate ; stamens 2 ; capsule 

 smooth; seeds globose, pitted, silvery-coated. — Pine-barren ponds, Florida to 

 South Carolina. May - Sept. — Stem 3° - 6° high. Leaves 2' -4' long. 



3. S. ligustrina, Michx. Shrubby ; branches alternate, slender ; leaves 

 petioled, ovate-lanceolate or oblong-ovate, mostly obtuse, narrowed at the base, 

 entire ; stipules ovate ; spikes short, often by pairs, shorter than the leaves, lat- 

 eral and terminal ; stamens 3; capsule and oval seed smooth. — Eiver-swamps, 

 Florida to North Carolina, and westward. May -Aug. — buruu 6°- 12° high. 

 Branches spreading. Leaves 1 ' - 3' long. 



4. S. sebifera, Michx. Arborescent ; leaves long-petioled, rhomboidal, 

 acuminate, entire ; spikes terminal, densely flowered ; sterile flowers pedicelled ; 

 calyx 4-toothed ; stamens 2 ; capsule roughish ; seeds white. — Georgia and 

 South Carolina, near the coast; introduced from China. June and July. — A 

 tree 20° - 40° high. 



4. EXCCECARIA, L. 



Flowers monoecious or dioecious, apetalous. Sterile flowers in cylindrical 

 spikes, sessile. Calyx 3-parted. Stamens 2 - 4, partly monadclphous : anthers 

 pendulous. Fertile flowers few or solitary at the base of the sterile spike, sessile 

 or peduncled. Calyx 3-sepalous ; style 3-partcd : stigmas entire, spreading. 

 Capsule of three 1 -celled, 1 -seeded, 2-valved carpels. — Shrubs or trees, with 

 milky juice, and alternate serrate or crenate leaves. 



1. E. lucida, Swartz. Smooth; leaves coriaceous, petioled, obovate or 

 oblong, obtuse or emarginate, crenate ; fertile flowers solitary or by pairs, long- 

 peduncled, nodding ; capsule round-angled, smooth, like the ovoid seed. — South 

 Florida. — Tree 30° - 40° high. Leaves 1 ' - 1^' long. 



5. ACALYPHA, L. 



Flowers monoecious, apetalous, in axillary and terminal spikes. Staminate 

 flowers clustered, minutely bracted. Calyx 4-parted. Stamens 8-16, with the 

 filaments united at the base ; anthers pendulous. Pistillate flowers at the base 

 of the staminate ones, or on separate spikes, surrounded by a leafy toothed bract. 

 Calyx 3-parted. Styles 3, many-cleft. Capsule roundish, of three I-celled, 

 1-seeded, 2-valved carpels. — Herbs, with watery juice, and alternate serrate 

 leaves. 



* Staminate and pistillate flowers on the same spike. 



1 . A. Virginica, L. Annual, smoothish or hairy ; stem erect, branched ; 

 leaves thin, long-petioled, rhombic-ovate or oblong-ovate, acute, coarsely serrate 

 above the middle ; staminate spikes few-flowered, mostly shorter than the large 

 5 - 9-lobed bracts, with 1-3 pistillate flowers at the base ; capsule pubescent. — 



