630 Order 112.— EUPHORBIAOB^. 



parted; stamens 8 to 12, filaments very short, united at base, with 

 halved anthers ; ? calyx 3-parted ; styles 3, elongated, 2 or 3-cleft or 

 fringed ; fruit separating into 3 bivalve, 1-seeded nutlets, rarely simple. 

 — ® Herbs (or tropical shrubs) resembling nettles. Lvs. alternate, 

 petiolate. Fls. axillary, the fertile in short clusters at the base of the 

 little staminate spikes, surrounded by a large cut-toothed bract. 



1 A. Virginica L. Hairy or downy, branched ; lvs. dblong-l/mceolate, obscurely ser- 

 rate ; involucrate bracts broadly ovate, deeply cut-toothed, veiny ; sterile spikes 

 slender, peduncled, usually exceeding the involucre; seeds oval, ash-colored, 

 smoothish. — Dry fields. Can. and U. S. A rough weed, 10 to 20' high, often de- 

 cumbate at base. Lvs. 12 to 30" long, varying from ovate to lanceolate or lance- 

 linear, obtusely pointed, the petioles about as long. The little green spikes i to 

 10" ; fertile clusters in the same axils, sometimes alone. Jn. — Aug. (Also A. 

 gracilens Gr.) 



/8. MONOOOCOA (Engelm.) ■ Very slender, with lance-linear, subentire lvs. and 

 a simple, 1-coUed, 1-seeded fruit. — "W. 111. 



2 A. Caroliniana Walt. Minutely downy, branched ; lvs. ovate, cordate, closely 

 and strongly serrate, acute ; sterile spikes short, fertile fls., also spicate, terminal ; 

 invol. bracts deeply palmate with linear segments ; sds. roundish ovoid, light ash- 

 colored, roughened with hard. Hack points. — Ind. to N. J., 6a. and La. Plant 

 slender, 1 to 2f high, nearly smooth. Lvs. 1 to 2' by 9 to 16", on slender petioles. 

 Seeds larger (I") than in No. 1. 



5. CNIDOS'COLUS, Pohl. Spurge Nettle. (Gr. kvISt], a nettle, 

 OKidXoq, a prickle.) Flowers 8 , showy ; calyx colored, convolute, 

 coralline; corolla ; hypogynous glands 5, 5 stamens 10, united at 

 base, alternately short ; ? calyx 6-parted ; styles 3, each 2 or more- 

 cleft ; capsule 3-carpeled, 3-seeded. — Herbs often besot with stings. 



C. stiinulosa Gray. Hispid, with bristly slings ; lvs. palmately 3 to 5-lobed, 

 cordate at base, ciliato, lobes acute or acuminate, with few muoronato teeth, late- 

 ral lobes 2-parted ; fls. terminal at length opposite the leaves, cymous ; Sep. white, 

 oval, spreading ; styles many-cleft at top ; caps, hispid. — If A low herb, in sandy 

 soils, throughout tho South, painfully common. It varies much in the mdth of 

 its leaf segments. Stings white, often half an inch long. Mar. — Jl. (Jatropha 

 Etimulosa Mx.) 



6. RICIWUS, Tourn. Castor Oil Plant. (Lat. ricinus, a bug ; 

 from tho resemblance of the seeds.) Flowers 8 , apetalous ; calyx 3 to 

 6-parted, valvate in the' bud ; $ stamens oo, with irregularly united 

 filaments ; ? stylo short, stigmas 3, 2-partod, plumous, colored ; cap- 

 sule echinatc, 3-lobcd, 3-celled, 3-seeded. — Herbs or shrubs. 



% 

 R. oommiinis L. St frosted or glaucous, white, herbaceous ; lvs. peltate, palmate, 

 lobes lanceolate, serrate ; caps, prickly. — Sativo of tho B. Indies, where it becomes 

 a tree, although an herbaceous annual in tho N. States. In Ga. La. and Fla. it is 

 a stout shrub I St. tall, smooth, of a light bluish green color. Lvs. 4 to 12" 

 diam., on long petioles. Prom its seeds is expressed the well known castor oil 

 of the shops. For this purpose it is extensively cultivated in live S. and W. 

 States. — Tho purgative property resides in the embryo, not in the albumen. 



7. CROTON, L. (Name in Greek of the same import as JRicinus.) 

 Flowers 5 ; $ calyx 4 or 6-partcd, cylindric-valvate in bud; corolla of 

 4 or 5 petals, often small ; stamens 5 to 20 ; ? calyx 5, rarely 8-cleft; 

 corolla often minute or none ; styles 3, once or repeatedly forked ; cap- 

 sule 3-lobed, 3-cellod, 3-carpeled, carpels 1-seeded. — Plants clothed with 

 scurf, down or wool, usually glandular and aromatic. Hairs stellate. 

 Lvs. alternate. 



