‘EUPHORBALS. 347 
The Urtical and the Euphorbal groups, ranging from the seventy- 
third to the ninety-fourth natural order in Dr. Lindiey’s system, 
form the most remarkable tribes in the whole vegetable world. We 
have briefly traced the history of the Urticaces, and their con- 
geners, which include the Bread-fruit-tree, the Hemp-plant, the 
Mulberry, Fig, and the Plane-trees; the Euphorbias include the 
Crowberries, and the strangely-shaped Pitcher-plants. We have 
seen side by side with these plants, so useful to man, the caustic 
Stinging Nettle of our own climate, the deadly Upas-tree, and 
many other plants distinguished by their dangerous properties at 
some stage of their existence. 
The Evrnorsats are chiefly distinguishable from the Urtical 
tribes by their compound consolidated pistil, which exhibits a 
more complex organisation than the other. They are diclinous 
Exogens, with scattered flowers, having two floral envelopes, con- 
solidated carpels, ‘axial placente, and large embryo, in many with 
abundant albumen, but sometimes without. The Euphorbias num- 
ber no less than two thousand -species, three-eighths of which are 
natives of intertropical America, sometimes forming trees, bushes, 
and even weeds; occasionally they are deformed, leafless, succu- 
lent plants, resembling the Indian Figs in appearance, but alto- 
gether different from them in properties; many of them are 
medicinal, as Ricinus communis, the Castor Oil-plant, and the 
Crotons. 
i see are Eu apho Exogens, with un amentaceous 
om Sete anatropal pages ee Be superior oS ieee coriaceous XCI. Scepaceze. 
aves, and mn ns stipules forming the scales of the buds. They { 
are natives RE 
The Starwi ded an 
ae Euphorbials, with definite suspen’ bik 
tropal ovules superior radicle ; Hower unis exual, axillary, solitary, and XCII, Callitrichaces. 
minute, destitute of ¢ yx, and al 
The Crowberries are nye x bree Pa ak heath-like leaves, without 
pe a and minute flowers in their axils; they are Arctic plants slightly { XCIII. Empetracez. 
‘conn Pitcher-plants are herbaceous. 
, or half shrubby plants, the stem 
bearing both leaves and eal their leaves assume.a most singular develop- XCIV. Nepenthaces. 
ment, which gives rise to hollow organs—the pitcher. 
The Pitcher-plants (Nepenthes) are placed here for the ex- 
cellent reason that no place more suitable could be found 
for them. With certain insignificant resemblances to the tribe, 
