fl 
Euphorbia.) LXVIII. EUPHORBIACEA. 395 
12. E. amygdaloides, Linn. (fig. 896). Wood S.—Stock perennial 
and almost woody, with several erect, often reddish stems, 1 to 2 feet 
high, glabrous or slightly hairy. Stem-leaves rather crowded towards 
the middle of the stem, lanceolate or narrow-oblong; the upper ones 
more distant, and shorter. Umbel of 5 long rays, not much divided, 
with a few axillary peduncles below it. Floral leaves of each pair 
always connected into one large orbicular one, of a pale yellowish-green. 
Glands of the involucre crescent-shaped, with rather long points. 
Capsules and seeds smooth. 
In woods and thickets, in temperate and southern Europe and 
western Asia, but not extending into Scandinavia. In Britain, common 
over the greater part of England, rare in northern England, in Ireland 
only near Bandon and Donegal ; unknown in Scotland. Fl. spring. 
II. MERCURIALIS. MERCURY. 
Erect herbs, with opposite leaves, and small green flowers in little 
clusters, either sessile, stalked, or spiked in the axils of the leaves, 
the males and females distinct, on the same or on separate plants. 
Perianth of 8 segments. Male flowers with 9 to 12 stamens. Females 
with a sessile 2-celled ovary, crowned by 2 simple styles, and surrounded 
by 2 or 8 small filaments, Capsule 2-celled, otherwise like that of 
Spurge. 
A small genus, spread over the tenperate regions of the southern as 
well as the northern hemisphere, and nearly connected with several 
more tropical genera of weed-like, uninteresting plants. 
Rootstock perennial. Stems simple. Flowers ali in loose spikes . 1. M. perennis. 
Root annual. Stems branched. Female flowers sessile or shortly 
stalked. : : 3 : 5 : ; : ‘ é . 2. M. annua. 
1. M. perennis, Linn. (fig. 897). Dog’s Mercury.—Rootstock slender 
and creeping. Stems erect, simple, 6 or 8 inches, or rarely nearly a 
foot high. Leaves rather crowded in the upper half, oblong or ovate- 
lanceolate, 2 to 4 or 5 inches long, usually pointed, crenate or serrated, 
and rough or shortly hairy. Flowers dicecious, on slender axillary 
peduncles, often nearly as long as the leaves; the males in little 
clusters, the females singly or 2 together. Ovaries larger than the 
perianth, with rather long, spreading styles. Capsules more or less 
covered with warts or soft prickles. 
In woods and shady places, throughout Europe and Russian Asia, 
except the extreme north. Abundant in England and Scotland, less 
soin Ireland. Fl. early spring, commencing before its leaves are fully out. 
2. M. annua, Linn. (fig. 898). Annual M.—An erect, glabrous 
annual, 6 inches to a foot high, with opposite branches. Leaves stalked, 
ovate or oblong, rather coarsely toothed, of a thin texture. Male 
flowers clustered, as in MW. perennis, along slender peduncles nearly as 
long as the leaves. Females 2 or 3 together, either sessile or shortly 
stalked, in the axils of the leaves, usually on separate plants from the 
males. 
In cultivated and waste places ; very common in central and southern 
Europe and eastward to the Caucasus, more rare towards the north, and 
only as an introduced weed of cultivation in Scandinavia. Not generally 
common in England or Ireland, very local and doubtfully indigenous in 
