142G CXVII. EUPHORBIACEJ;. [Fhmjfjea, 



1. F. microcarpa (small-fruited), Blime Bijd. 580, Hook, in Fl. Brit. Ind^ 

 V. 328. " Tharginyah," Cloncurry ; "Arrimby," Mitchell Eiver, Palmer^ 

 " Koy-ka," Cooktown, " Eramba," Palmer River, Roth. A tall unarmed shrub,, 

 quite glabrous but sometimes glaucous, the smaller branches often angular- 

 when young. Leaves ovate, usually broad and sometimes almost orbicular,, 

 rarely broadly oblong, very obtuse, 1 to 2in. long or when very luxuriant nearly 

 3in., prominently pentiiveined and the numerous reticulate veinlets often also 

 prominent underneath. Flowers minute, the males usually very numerous in 

 the cluster, the females fewer, both on filiform pedicels of 1 to 2 lines. Perianth 

 in both sexes about \ line long, the 3 inner segments rather larger than the 

 outer. Stamens longer than the perianth, the aiithers opening outwards. 

 Styles rather broad. Capsule red, depressed-globular, not exceeding 2 lines in 

 diameter. — Fluggea melanthesoides, F. v. M. in Trans. Bot. Soc. Edinb. vii. 490 ;: 

 XylophijUa ohovata, Willd. Enum. Hort. Berol. 329 ; Leptonema melanthesoides,. 

 F. V. M. in Hook. Kew Journ. ix. 17 ; Semrinega ohovata, Muell. Arg., Benth. in; 

 Fl. Austr. vi. 115 ; Chorixandra pinnata, Wight Ic. t. 1994. 



Hab.: Islantls of the Gulf of Carpentaria, iJ. Brown; Sweers Island, Henne ; Cape York, 

 M'Gillivray \ Gilbert Kiver and Howiek's Group, F. v. Mueller; Port Denison, Fitzalan : 

 Bockingbam and Edgecombe Bays, Dallachy ; Broadsound and Bowen Eiver, Bowman ; 

 Kennedy District, Daintree ; Flinders Eiver, Sutherland; Port Mackay, Nernst; and many 

 other tropical countries. 



Wood of a yellow color, close-grained and firm. — Bailey's Cat. Ql. IVoods, No. 361e. 



Fruit eaten raw by aboriginals.— PaZmer and Both. 



The species is common in tropical Asia and Africa. 



2. P. I,eucopyrus (Whitethorn), Willd. ; Hook, in Fl. Brit. Ind. v. 328 ; 

 Bcnth, Fl. Austr. vi. 116. A large straggling shrub, quite glabrous, with 

 numerous small rigid branchlets occasionally terminating in a spine. Leaves- 

 ovate obovate or almost orbicular, very obtuse or emarginate, smaller and more- 

 membranous than in F. microcaypa, and usually not above Jin. long. Flowers- 

 and fruit entirely those of F\ microcarpa. — Securinega virosa, Baill. Adans. vi.. 

 884, and several synonyms given by Muell. Arg. I.e. ; Securinega Leucopyrus,. 

 Muell. Arg., Bentb. Fl. Austr. vi. 116. 



Hab.: Gilbert Eiver, F. v. Mueller; Eockhampton, Dallachy, O'Shanesy; Bowen Eiver> 

 Bon-man. — Common in many parts of East India. 



18. BREYNIA, Forst. 

 (After J. Breyn.) 

 (Melanthesa, Blmne ; Melanthesopsis, Muell. Arg.) 

 Flowers monoecious, axillary, solitary or few together. Male flower : Perianths 

 turbinate, flat-topped, the small orifice in the centre almost closed by 6 ,short. 

 lobes. Stamens 3, united in a central column, -without any rudimentary ovary ; 

 anthers 2-celled, adnate to the column, the cells parallel, opening longitudinally 

 in 2 valves. Female flower : Perianth turbinate or campanulate, with 6 very 

 short lobes or teeth, sometimes minute or obsolete. Ovary sessile or shortly 

 stipitate, 8-celled, with 2 ovules in each cell, thick and fleshy above the cells.. 

 Styles 8, very short, erect or slightly spreading and entire in the Australian, 

 species. No glands or disk in either sex. Fruit a globular or depressed 

 indehiscent berry. Seeds triangular, with a straight inner angle and a curved 

 back, the hilum small, the lower end with a large nearly closed ventral cavity 

 between the inner and outer coating. Albumen not very copious. Embryo- 

 curved, the cotyledons broad, parallel to the back of the seed. — Shrubs or small 

 trees, the smaller branches slender, the foliage usually but not always drying; 

 black. Leaves alternate, petiolate, usually broad, entire. Flowers small, on, 

 short pedicels. Fruit usually red. 



