59 
EUPHORBIA COTINIFOLIA. 
Shumac-leaved Spurge. 
MONCECIA MONANDRIA (Dodecandria Trigynia, Linw.)_NAT. Ord. 
EUPHORBIACEJE, Jms. 
Gen. CvixVL.—Fl(yres masculi plurimi : Fcemineus unicus; plerumque in eo- 
dem involucre monophyllo, calyciformi, octo- vel decem-dentato. Flores 
masculi pedicellati, nudi. Flos fcemineus pedicellatus, nudus, perianthio 
instructus. Styli tres, bifidi. Capsula tricocca, coccis monospermis. 
Div. XXX. Dichotomce {Umhella bifida aut nulla). — W. 
Euphorbia co^iwi/o/ia; fruticosa inermis, foliis ternis longe petiolatis sub- 
rotundo-ovatis obtusis glabris, floribus terminalibus axillaribusque 
ternis. 
E. cotinifolia. Linn. Amoen. Acad. v. iii. p. 112— Willd. Sp. PI. v. ii. p. 892. 
--Ait. Hort. Kerv. ed. 2. v. iii. p. l60.— Humb. et Kunth, Nm. Gen. v- ii. 
p. 4)6. 
Tithymalus arboreus curassavicus, cotinifolio. Seba, Thes. v. i. p. 75. t. 46. 
f. 4. 
Stem shrubby; in our stoves 4 or 5 feet high, but, in its native country, at- 
taining, according to Humboldt, a height of 15 or 20 feet; abound- 
ing in a highly acrid, milky juice. Branches temate, slender, flexible, 
purplish. Leaves temate, placed upon slender footstalks, which exceed 
the leaves in length, rotundato-ovate, rounded, and very obtuse both at 
the base and at the extremity, resembling those of Rhus Cotinus, entire, 
soft and thin, veined, the young ones of a delicate green colour, the older 
ones partaking of a purple tint, but greener beneath. 
Fhwers rather sraaU, growing in threes, either terminal, or from the axils of 
the leaves (one from each axil), pedicellated. The pedicel has, general- 
ly, 2 pairs of connate, acuminate bracteas, and, within these, abortive 
flowers (?) mixed with still smaller bracteas. Involucre cup-shaped, 
green, pubescent, bearing at its margins 5 spreading, white, petaloid, 
broadly cuneate processes, jagged at the margins, and having, at their 
bases, each a large, green, broadly ovate, notched gland. Alternating 
with the base of these glands, is an upright, toothed, small scale. The 
involucre is pubescent within, and includes several male Jhwers, each a 
single pedicellated stamen, with a white filament, and a reddish, round- 
ed, didymous Anther; and one central pedicellated female fower or Ger- 
men, globular, obscurely 3-lobed ; its Style very short; Stigmas 3, bi- 
partite. 
VOL. I. 
