

ORDER CVin. ETTPHORBIACE^E. 499 



Genus VI.— RICINTJ3. L. 19—15. 

 (From ricinus, a tick, from the appearance of the seeds.) 



Flowers monoecious. Staminate flowers — calyx 5-parted ; 

 stamens numerous. Pistillate flowers — calyx 3-parted ; styles 

 3, 2-cleft ; capsules spiny, 3-celled, 3-seeded. 



Castor-oil Plant. 



1. R. commu'nis. Stem erect, hoary, pruinose. Leaven peltate, 

 palmate; lobes lanceolate, serrate. — Road-sides. Introduced from the 

 East Indies. 



Genus VII— CROTONOP'SIS. Rich. 19—5. 

 (From its resemblance to Crotcn.) 



Monoecious. Sterile florets; perianth 5-parted, with 5 peta 

 loid scales. Stamens 5. Fertile florets ; perianth 5-parted 

 Stigmas 3, twice bifid. Capsule 1 -seeded, indehiscent. 



1. C. linea'ius, (Mich.) Stem erect, dichotomously branched, cover- 

 ed with silvery scales. Leaves linear-lanceolate, entire, on short petioles, 

 stei lately pubescent above, and with silvery scales beneath. Flower* 

 in terminal and axillary spikes, very minute. — 4j£. May — June. Pine 

 barrens. 12 — 18 inches. 



Genus VIII.— CRO'TON. L. 19-15. 

 (From the Greek krotoyi, a tick, from the form of its seed.) 



Monoecious. Sterile florets ; perianth cylindrical, 5-toothed 

 Corolla 4-petaled or none. Stamens 10 — 15. Fertile flowers, 

 perianth 5 or many leaved, or none. Corolla none. Stf/lcs 3 

 — 6, 2-cleft. Capsule 3-celled, with 1 seed in each cell. 



1. C. marit'ijcum, (Walt.) Stem somewhat shrubby, erect, trichoto- 

 mously divided, with the branches clothed with a stellular tomentum. 

 Leaves oval, obtuse, entire, subcordate, pale above, hoary leneath. 

 Flowers in spikes; those of the sterile florets many-flowered, the feriiie 

 florets generally in pairs. Capsule toinentose. — If. June — October. 

 Drifting sands along the sea-coast. 2 — 8 feet. 



2. C. argyran'tijemum, (Mich.) Stem somewhat shrubby. Leaves 

 entiie, obtuse, obovate. Floicers numerous, in short terminal racemes. 

 Perianth pedicellate, silvery. — If. July. Dry soils. 1 — 2 feet. 



3. C. glandulo'sum, (L.) Stem erect, hispid, trichotomously divided, 

 often colored. Leaves oblong, serrate, hairy beneath, bearing 2 glands 

 at the base. Flowers in spikes in the divisions of the stern, with the 

 fertile and sterile intermingled ; the sterile with a 5-petaled corolla, the 

 petals white, longer than the calyx, and inserted into its base. Sta- 

 mens 10. Fertile florets ; perianth 5-leaved, hispid ; leaves unequal. 

 — 0. June — Oct. Cultivated lands. Very common. 1 — 2 feet. 



4. C. elltp'ticum, (Nutt.) Stem pubescent, irregularly branched, to- 

 mentose when young. Leaves oval-lanceolate, entire, pale beneath, 

 stellular pubescent. Flowers in terminal clusters ; the sterile spike 

 growing in the midst of the fertile flowers. Capsule touientose. — Q. 

 July. Middle Car. and Geo. 1 — 2 feet. 



