Refugium Botanicum.] 
iSeptemher, 1870. 
TAB. 231. 
Natural Order Euphoubiace.?:. 
Genus Euphorbia, Linn. 
Section Poinsettia {Graham). 
E. GENicuLATA [Ortega, Dec.) p. 16. Annua 1 — S-i^edalis, dicliotomiter 
ramosa, caulibus glabris vel sursum setulosis, foliis oppositis petio- 
latis oblongo- vel obovato-lanceolatis acutis subintegris vel dentatis 
basi angustatis membranaceis supra viridibus glabris infra palli- 
dioribus glabris vel ad venas inconspicue pubescentibus, floralibus 
ssepe albido variegatis, capitulis in cymis densis copiosis dispositis, 
pedicellis perbrevibus, involucris tj|irbinatis, glandulis integris rotun- 
datis, capsulis Igevibus, stylis bifidis, seminibus carinatis granulosis. 
— Boiss. in D. C. Prodr. 15 part, ii. p. 72. E. j^t'unifolia, Jacq. 
Hort. ScJioen. iii. t. 277. Poinsettia frangulwfolia, geniculata, 
Ruiziana, and prwiifolia, Klotzch et Garcke Trie. p. 101 — 4. 
A very variable plant, widely distributed through Tropical 
America, which ought probably to be regarded as only a variety 
of E. heterophylla, Linn. 
An annual, one to three feet high, with erect glabrous or sub- 
glabrous stems more or less branched dichotomously. Leaves 
opposite, distinctly petiolate, oblong- or obovate-lanceolate, two 
to four inches long, nine to eighteen lines broad at the middle, 
acute, subentire or finely toothed, narrowed at the base, mem- 
branous in texture, full green and quite glabrous above, glaucous 
beneath, and glabrous or inconspicuously hairy on the main 
veins. Floral leaves often variegated with white. Heads in dense 
terminal cymes, with very short pedicels. Livolucre turbinate, 
a line deep ; the glands horizontal, roundish, entire. Capsule 
smooth, two and a half lines broad by about half as deep, 
conspicuously three-lobed ; the styles deeply bifid ; the seeds 
finally black, finely granulated, with an acute keel. 
Tab. 231. — 1, head of flowers complete; 2, vertical section of the 
same ; 3, stamen, with pedicel ; 4, bract : all magnified. — J. G. B. 
A very weedy-looking plant, obtained by chance seeds in soil 
sent from Bahia by Mr. E. Keed. It appears to require stove 
treatment, and to seed freely, like most other annual plants. — 
W. W. S. 
f 
