Euphorbia.] euphoebiaceje. 439 



G. Kilderbee !!! Common on the downs about Ventnor, Dr. Martin!!! Batiks 

 near Brading, Mr. W. D. Snooke. [Bembridge down, A. G. More, Esq., Edi-s.] 



S. Med. — In the Lenten-field pit, by Carisbiooke. In the sand on the spit at 

 Norton. On grassy slopes between the woods in the valley near Bowledge, pretty 

 plentifully, 1843. Freshwater down. Rev. G. E. Smith .'.'.' Banks near Colwell, 

 Afton and Freshwater downs, in great abundance, Mr. W. D. Snooke. Chalk- 

 cliffs on the S. side of the Isle of Wight, Dr. Stokes, Bot. Guide. 



The prostrate form, growing on banks facing ihe sea at Ventnor, is probably 

 the var. jS. humifusum of Duby's Synopsis, the T. humifusum of D.C., 'Flore 

 Frangaise.' 



Root parasitic on various plants, according to Mr. Mitten,* thick and woody, 

 yellowish and branched. Stems very numerous, much branched from the base, 

 slender, solid, furrowed and angular, from 6 to 18 inches long or even more, form- 

 ing dense procumbent tufts, spreading chiefly on one side or in a fan-shaped man- 

 ner, when growing amongst taller plants erect or ascending at their extremities. 

 Leaves alternate or scattered, distant, nearly erect, grayish green or turning to 

 yellowish green when old, an inch in length, linear, very narrow, plane above, 

 fleshy, submucronate, quite entire, with rough cartilaginous edges, a little 

 incurved, with a single stout midrib imbedded in the substance of the leaf and 

 projecting into a blunt keel on its rather convex under side. Flowers small, 

 white, rather distant, on diverging roughish pedicels several times their own 

 length, forming a rather long terminal raceme, each flower with 3 unequal bracts 

 beneath it, like the leaves but smaller, the outer one the largest. Perianth cleft 

 about half-way down into 5 acute, white, fleshy, triangular segments with green 

 backs, each with a single tooth-like process on either side at its base. Stamens 

 5, inserted at the base of the segments and opposite to them on the top of the 

 green glandular portion or lower half of the perianth, iheh filaments very short 

 and a little connivent, each having near it and just above its insertion a small 

 bundle of glandular hairs reaching upwards to the anthers, but, though in contact, 

 not appearing united with the latter. Sti/le short, thick, angular, crowning the 

 germen, which is half-buried in the short fleshy tube of the calyx ; stigma round- 

 ish, granulated, 2-, 3-, or 4-lobed, often entire, scarcely cloven as described by 

 Smith and in the bad figure of this part in E. B., hut simply furrowed or chinked 

 transversely. 



The Rev. G. E. Smith remarks that this plant occurs very frequently with pro- 

 lil'erous extremities at Ventnor. 



Order LXVII. EUPHOEBIACEiE, Juss. 



" Anthers and pistils in distinct flowers. Perianth free, 3 — 4 

 (or more) cleft, or wanting. — Barren flowers : — Stamens 1 or many. 

 Anthers 2-celled. — Fertile flowers : — Ovary 1, 2 — 3 celled. 

 Ovules solitary or in pairs, pendulous. Styles 2 — 3. Stigmas 

 2 — 3, 2-lobed or compound. Capsule of 2 — 3, 1- or 3-seeded 

 united carpels, usually bursting and separating with elasticity 

 from the common axis, sometimes indehiscent or nearly so. 

 Seeds suspended. Embryo m the axis of a fleshy albumen ; coty- 

 ledons large, flat ; radicle superior. Stems herbaceous or woody. 

 Leaves alternate, opposite or whorled, sometimes none." — Br. 'Fl. 



See ' London Journal of Botany ' for 1847. 



