LXVIII, EUPHORBIACE. —6B91 
LXVIII. EUPHORBIACEA, THE SPURGE FAMILY. 
Herbs, shrubs, or trees, much varied in foliage and inflores- 
cence. Flowers always unisexual, with or without a perianth. 
Stamens various. Ovary consisting of 3 (rarely 2 or more 
than 3) united carpels, each with 1 or 2 pendulous, ovules, 
Styles as many as carpels, entire or divided. In the fruit these 
carpels separate from each other and from a persistent axis, and 
usually open with elasticity in two valves. Seed with a large 
embryo usually enclosed in fleshy albumen. 
A vast family, chiefly tropical, so varied in aspect that no general idea 
can be formed of it from the three genera which represent it in Britain, 
nor is the connection between these three genera easily understood without 
a comparison with intermediate exotic forms. The structure of the ovary 
and fruit is peculiar to this family among unisexual plants. 
Several male flowers (looking like single stamens) and one 
stalked ovary collected in a small involucre, which has the 
appearance of a cup-shaped perianth : . . 1, EUPHORBIA, 
Male and female flowers distinct. 
Herbs, with thin leaves . ; : ‘ 3 é . 2. MERCURIALIS. 
Shrubs, with shining, evergreen leaves C é F d «| 09, BUXUS: 
The Poinsettia and the red-flowered Jatrophas of our hothouses, remark- 
able for their brilliant red bracts, and the coloured leaved Crotons, belong 
to this family, but generally speaking the tropical Huphorbiacee are not 
ornamental enough for cultivation. 
I. HUPHORBIA. SPURGE. 
The European species are herbs, abounding in milky juice; the Weer 
part of the stems simple, with alternate leaves (except in EL. Lathyris). 
Flowering branches or peduncles axillary, the upper ones in a terminal 
umbel of 2 to 5 or more rays, each ray or axillary peduncle usually several 
times forked, with a pair of opposite floral leaves at each fork, and a small 
green, apparent ftower, really a head of flowers, between the branches. 
These flower-heads consist of a small, cup-shaped znvolucre (looking like 
a perianth), with 4 or 5 very small teeth, alternating with as many hori- 
zontal yellowish or brown glands. Within are 10 to 15 stamens, each with 
a jointed filament, anda minute scale at its base, showing that they are 
each a distinct male flower. In the centre is a single female flower, con- 
sisting of a 3-celled ovary, supported on a stalk projecting from the in- 
volucre and curved downwards. Style 3-cleft. Fruit of 3 carpels, each 
with a single seed. 
A very large genus, extending over most parts of the globe, including 
many tropical species, and leafless, succulent ones in southern Africa, 
Prostrate plant, with all the leaves at the time of flowering 
floral and opposite, with minute stipules . 1. BE. Peplis. 
Stem erect or decumbent at the base, the lower leaves ‘alternate, 
and no stipules. 
Glands of the involucre rounded on the outer edge. 
Annuals or biennials. Leaves finely toothed. 
Leaves obovate, very obtuse. Capsules smooth . . 2. E. Helioscopia, 
