396 * THE SPURGE FAMILY. [Mercurialis. 



Scotland. Fl. the whole summer and autumn. A variety with more sessile 

 leaves and flowers, the latter often monoecious, has been described as a 

 species, under the name of M. ambigua. It is not common, even on the 

 Continent, but has been found in Jersey and in the south of England. 



III. BUXUS. BOX. 



Flowers monoecious, the males and females clustered in the same 

 axil, but not enclosed in a common involucre. Perianth small, of 4 

 segments. Stamens 4 in the male flowers. Styles 3 in the females. 

 Capsule 3-celled, with 2 seeds in each cell. 



A genus limited to a single European, and a few exotic species. 



1. B. sempervirens, Linn. (fig. 809). Common Box. — A glabrous, 

 much branched, evergreen shrub, attaining 6 or 8 feet in height when 

 left uncut. Leaves opposite, entire, thick and shining, varying from 

 ovate to oblong, J to 1 inch long. Flowers small, green and sessile, 

 usually several males and 1 or 2 females in the same axillary cluster, 

 the former with one small bract under the perianth, the female with 

 3 bracts. Capsule sessile, ovoid, of a hard consistence, about 3 or 4 

 lines long, ending in 3 stiff, short beaks. 



In hilly, rocky, chiefly limestone districts, in western and southern 

 Europe, extending eastward to the Himalaya and Japan, and northward 

 into many parts of central and western France. In Britain, only in 

 some localities in southern and central England. FL spring. The Box 

 used for edging in gardens is a dwarf variety. 



LXIX. EMPETRACE-ffi. THE EMPETRUM FAMILY. 



A family of six or seven European or North American 

 species, whose affinities have not been satisfactorily made out. 

 The structure and position of the seeds prevent its union with 

 Euphorbiacece, to which it might in other respects be technically 

 referred. [Some authors place this Order near Bicinece, and 

 others near JEricacece.] 



I. EMPETRUM. CROWBERRY. 



Low, creeping, heath-like shrubs, with small, crowded, entire, ever- 

 green leaves, and minute, axillary, dioecious flowers. Perianth of 6 

 scales in 2 rows, with 6 external, similar, but smaller bracts. Stamens 

 3 in the male flowers. Style in the females very short, divided into 6 

 or more radiating and toothed or divided stigmas. Ovary with as many 

 cells as stigmas, and a single erect ovule in each. Fruit a small berry- 

 like drupe, containing several small 1 -seeded stones. Embryo slender, 

 in a copious albumen. 



1. E. nigrum, Linn (fig. 900). Crowberry. — A glabrous plant, form- 

 ing spreading thickly branched tufts, like those of Loiseleuria, often a 

 foot in diameter ; the crowded evergreen leaves scarcely 2 lines long with 

 their edges rolled back as in Heaths. Flowers sessile, very minute, the 



