590 



MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



Fig. 326. Caper spurge (.Euphorbia Lathy- 

 m). a, upper half of plant, one-third nat- 

 ural size; b, seed capsule, natural size. Listed 

 by Lehmann as poisonous. (Chesnut, U. S. 

 Dept. Agr.) 



According to Greshoff the leaves of Andrachne cordifolia and other members 

 of the family contain hydrocyanic acid. 



Key for genera of Euphorbiaceae : 



Flowers without a calyx inclosed in a cup-shaped involucre. 5. Buphorbia. 



Flowers with a calyx; involucre absent. 



Flowers apetalous in panicles ; stamens 10. 



Calyx corolla-like; plant with stinging hairs. 4. Jatropha. 



Flowers in terminal racemes or spikes covered with scurfy or stellate 

 hairs, glandular. 



Flowers spiked or glomerate; ovary usually 3-celled. 1. Croton. 



Flowers in axillary spikes or paniculate; stamens 8 or more. 

 Fertile flowers in the axils of leafy bracts ; stamens usually 8. 



7. Acalypha. 

 Flowers in interrupted axillary spikes ; stamens 8-20. 6. Mercmialis. 

 Flowers paniculate ; stamens very numerous ; filaments branched. 



3. RicintiS. 

 Flowers apetalous in racemes or spikes; stamens 2 or 3 style simple. 

 Flowers racemose, hirsute or pubescent. 2. Tragia. 



Flowers spicate, glabroid. 8. Stillmgia. 



