THE SPURGE FAMILY 
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Very common. In woods, by hedges, and in shady places; distributed throughout England and 
Scotland, rare in Ireland. March — May. Perennial. 
2. Annual Dog's Mercury. (Mercuri&lis annua. Linn.)— A similar species, with 
the male flowers in long spikes as in the Common Dog’s Mercury (Mercuridlis peren'nis), but with 
the female flowers nearly stalkless, in small clusters, rarely with a few male flowers intermingled, 
in the axils of the leaves ; the capsules small and covered with large pointed warts on which are 
bristly hairs ; the stem is branched ; the leaves are very shortly stalked ; and the root is fibrous. 
Not common. In cultivated and waste places ; in the south and west of England, and the south 
and east of Ireland. July — October. Annual 
