Euphorbia. 



EUPHORBIACEJE. 



177 



6. Euphorbia Ipecacuanha, Linn. Wild Ipecac. 



Procumbent or sometimes assurgent, smooth ; leaves opposite, varying from obovate to 

 linear -lanceolate ; peduncles solitary, in the forks of the stem, elongated ; glands large, 

 reniform ; capsules very minutely papillose ; seeds ovoid, smooth. — Linn. sp. 1. p. 455 ; 

 Michx. ft. 2. p. 212 ; Bot. mag. t. 1494 ; Pursh, ft. 2. p. 606 ; Nutt. gen. 2. p. 227 ; Ell. 

 sk. 2. p. 657 ; Bart. veg. mat. med. t. 18 ; Torr. compend. p. 331 ; Beck, bot. p. 312. 



Perennial. Root tapering, very long. Stem often partly buried in the sand ; the branches 

 6-12 inches long. Leaves extremely variable, sometimes quite linear, but usually more or less 

 obovate, obtuse or retuse, often of a dull purple color ; the broader ones an inch or an inch 

 and a half long ; the narrower forms commonly longer. Peduncles 8-12 lines long, slender. 

 Involucre turbinate ; the lobes small and laciniate : glands without appendages, sessile. 

 Sterile flowers numerous. Capsule much exserted ; the carpels obtuse on the back. Arillus 

 of the seed becoming gelatinous in water. 



Sandy fields near Babylon on Long Island {Dr. Knieskerri). June - July. This plant, as 

 truly remarked by Pursh, has a deeper root than most other perennial herbs. It is emetic, 

 and is sometimes used as a substitute for the Ipecacuanha of the shops. 



7. Euphorbia polygonifolia, Linn. Seaside Spurge. 



Procumbent, dichotomously much branched and very smooth ; leaves oblong and linear- 

 oblong, petiolate ; stipules simple or nearly so ; peduncles solitary in the forks, short ; glands 

 transversely oblong, stipitate ; lobes 5, acuminate, entire ; capsule and obovoid seeds smooth. 

 — Linn. sp. 1. p. 455 ; Jacq. collect, suppl. t. 13./. 3, ex Pursh, fl. 2. p. 606 ; Ell. sk. 2. 

 p. 656 ; Bigel. ft. Bost. p. 189 ; Torr. compend. p. 331 ; Beck, bot. p. 312 ; Hook. ft. Bor.- 

 Am. 2. p. 140. E. maritima, Nutt. in Am.phil. trans, (n. ser.) 5. p. 171. 



Annual. Stem diffuse ; the branches 4-10 inches long. Leaves about half an inch long 

 and scarcely two lines wide, rather obtuse, oblique and sometimes a little cordate at the base : 

 petiole nearly a line in length. Stipules subulate, entire or simply cloven. Peduncles rather 

 longer than the petioles. Involucre turbinate, with 4 glands on short stipes ; the lobes erect. 

 Styles short, 2-cleft. Capsule obtusely carinate at the angles. Seeds with a rather loose 

 pale arillus, which emits abundance of long fibro-gelatinous threads when moistened. 



Sandy shores of Long Island, Staten Island, and of the Hudson as far as the salt water 

 extends ; also on Lake Erie {Dr. Knieskern). July - August. 



[Flora — Vol 2.] 



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