624 Obbbb 112.— EUPHOBBIACEiE. 



and berry-like, inclosing the 1-celled, 1-seeded achenium. Seed ascending, embryo 



straight, albumen BC3nl3\ 



Genera 4, species 30, thinly {Ii8p*>r30d throughout tbo Northern hemisphere. 



1. SHEPHER'DIA, Nutt. (In honor of John Shepherd, curator of 

 the botanic garden of Liverpool.) Flowers ? $ . — $ Calyx 4-cleft ; 

 sta. 8, alternating with 8 glands. ? Calyx tube closely investing the 

 ovary, but not adhering to it, limb 4-lobed ; sty. 1 ; stig. oblique ; 

 berry globous, composed of the fleshy calyx. — Shrubs with spinescent 

 branches, and opposite, deciduous leaves. Fls. aggregated. 



1 S. Canadensis Nutt. Ijos. elliptic-ovate, nearly smooth above, clothed beiieaih 

 with stellate hairs and ferruginous, deciduous scales. — A shrub 6 — 8f high, found 

 in Tt, N. Y. and W. to "Wis. (Lapham), and Can., by streams and on river banks. 

 Leaves obtuse at each end, the upper surface green, with few, scattered, stellate 

 hairs, lower surface white, with rust-colored spots, densely tomentous, margin 

 entire ; petioles 2 — 4" long, lamina 1 — 2' by i — 1'. Fls. minute, in small, late- 

 ral, nearly sessile clustera. Berries oval, scaly, consisting of the fleshy calyx in- 

 closing the achenia in its tube, sweetish to the taste. JL — A curious and orna- 

 mental shrub. 



2 S. arg^ntea Nutt. Zvs. oblong-ovate, obtuse, both surfaces smooth and 

 equally covered with silvery scales. — A small tree, 12 — 18f high, with thorny 

 branches. Leaves 1 — 2' by 4 — 9". Petioles J' long, margin entire, the surface 

 of a light, silvery hue, sprinkled with rust-colored spots. Fruit the size of a cur- 

 rant, scailet, well-flavored, f Mo. 



2. EL.ff AG'NUS, L. Oleaster. (Gr. eXaia, the olive ; the trees 

 having a resemblance to the olive.) Flowers perfect. Calyx 4-cleft, 

 campanulate, colored on the inner side ; sta, 4, alternate with the calyx 

 lobes ; anth. snbsessile ; sty. short ; fruit baccate, consisting of the 

 achenium inclosed in the dry, farinaceous calyx tube, marked with 8 

 furrows. — Trees or shrubs, cultivated for the silvery foliage. Loaves 

 alternate. 



1 E. argentea Pli. Lvs. broad-ovaie or oval, wavy, acvilish at each end, botli 

 surfaces, particularly the lower, silvery and shining, with ferruginous scales. — A 

 beautiful shrub, with reddish branches and small, roundish-ovate, cartilaginous 

 drupes, f Mo. 



2 E. angustifdlia L. Lvs. narrow-lanceolate, acute at each end, entire, al- 

 ternate, smooth, canesoent ; fls. axillary, aggregate. — A tree of middle size, culti- 

 vated for its beautiful foliage and pleasant date-like fruit -j- £ur. 



3 E. latifolia L. Lvs. ovate, evergreen, f B. Ind. 



3 HIPPOPHiE rhamnoldes, with linear-lanceolate lvs., silvery white be- 

 neath, tetrandroiis, di(£cious flowers, and a crowd of yellow, acid drupes, is a Euro- 

 pean shrub, occasionally seen in shrubberies. 



Order CXIL EUPHOEBIACE^. Spuegeworts. 



Serbs, shrubs or trees, usually with a milky, acrid juice'. Floioers diclinous, some- 

 times enclosed in a cup-shaped involucre. Calyx inferior, sometimes wanting. Cor- 

 olla scale-like or colored, often wanting. Ovary free, sessile or stipitalo, 2, 3 (or 

 more)-carpeled ; styles distinct or united. Fruit of 2, ;i (or more), 1 to 2-seeded car- 

 pels (rarely of 1 carpel) united to a common axit^, at length separating. Embrj-o 

 in fleshy albumen. Fig. 371. 



Genera 200, spccieft 2500 (Lindlt'y), chiefly natives of B. America, not more than 60 Bpecioe 

 being found in N. America, north of Mexico. 



Properties. — An acrid, stimulant and poisonous principle, residing chiefly in the milky jaioo, 

 ])ervade8 the whole order. This principle varies in activity from mild stimulants to the most 

 active poisons; but it is volatile and easily expelled by heat. Taj)ii>e,a is a starch-like accnmo- 

 hitioD formed In tlio roots of the Jatropha Manihot. When fresh, :his root is a violent poison. 



