EUPHOBBIAOE^. 



123 



pendent of each, other, sometimes pendent and sometimes ascendent, 

 extrorse^ lateral, or introrse. The gynseceura, formed of two or three 

 carpels, is often accompanied by a hypogynous disk, whose elements, 

 linear or sqnamiform, alternate with the carpels. The species with 

 ascendent stamen cells are sometimes herbaceous, but more generally 

 woody and arborescent. The species of Mercurialis of the section 



Mercurialis aiimm. 



Kg. 177. Male stalk. 



Fig. 179. Female stalk. 



Fig. 178. Male flower {^). Fig. 180. Female flower (f). Fig. 181. Female flower, 



without gynseceum. 



Fig. 182. Normal female 

 flower seen from above. 



Fig. 183. Female flower Fig. 184. Female flower 

 with four sepals. with five sepals. 



JErythrococca are woody and thorny; finally, several herbaceous Cape 

 species have an androceum reduced like that of Bysopsis to three 

 stamens. Tetrorchidium, consisting of shrubs from tropical America, 

 have nearly the same vegetative organs and flowers as the species of 

 Mercurialis forming the sub-genus Claocvylon ; but their stamens are 



