112 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



Beside Eicinus is found Homonoya, consisting of shrubs from 

 tropical Asia, whose flowers are constructed in the same way, the 

 male calyx being generally trimerous, the cells of the anthers con- 

 fluent, and the gynseceum being reduced to two carpels. The 

 flowers of both sexes are in distinct spikes or racemes, and the leaves 

 are penninerved. CloelodiscuSj consisting of Indian plants, has also 

 polyadelphous stamens, but the staminal bundles, instead of being 

 inserted towards the centre of the flower, are thrown out toward the 

 periphery of the receptacle, whose centre is occupied by a sort of 

 circular concave disk. 



III. JATEOPHA SEEIES (Fr., Mediciniers). 

 Jatropha ^ (fig. 163-169) has unisexual flowers, almost always 

 monoecious. The concave receptacle bears, in the male flowers, flve^ 



Jatropha Curcas. 



Fig 163 Male flower (f ). Fig. 164. Long. sect, of fruit. 



w 



Fig. 165. Seed. 



sepals free or united at the base, and disposed in quincuncial pree- 

 floration in the bud. The petals are generally the same in number, 

 free and contorted ^ in the bud. With them alternate five glands sur- 

 rounding the foot of the androceum. This is formed of two verticils 



1 Jatropha L. Gen. 288.— Sw. Obs. 366.— J. 

 G-en, 389. — Deshouss. in LamJe. Diet. iv. 6. — 

 Lamk. III. t. 791.— PoiR. Suppl. iii. 616.— A. 

 Juss. Mpherb. 37, t. 11, fig. 34.— Endl. Geii. 

 n. 5805.— H. Bn. Etiphorbiac. 294, t. 14, fig. 

 10-27. — M. Aeg. in Linii'aia, xxiv. 207; Prodr. 

 1076. Bakek, Fl. Maurit. 321. — Adeiiorhopium 



PoHL, PL Bras. i. 12, t. 9 (incl. : Bivonea Eafin. 

 Bromfleldia Neck. Castiglioma E. et. Pav. Cni- 

 doscolus PoHL, Ctircas Adans. Jussievia Houst. 

 Loureira Cav. Mozinna Oiiteg. Eicinodendron 

 M. Arg.). 



" Occasionally four or six. 



' More rarely imbricated. 



