322 
EUPH 0RBIACE2E. 
[ Jatropha . 
alternate leaves, often deeply lobed, the flowers in dense compound 
corymbs. Distrib. Cosmopolitan in the tropics. Species 60-70. 
Leaves shallowly lobed. Petals joined in lower half ... 1. J. Curcas. 
Leaves palmatifid nearly to base. Petals free 2. J. multifida. 
* J. Curcas , Linn. ; Jacq. Hort. Vind. t. 63 ; Mull. Arg. in DC. Prod, 
xv. 2, 1080, a nativeof America, cultivated through the tropics, is casually 
subspontaneous in Mauritius and Seychelles. It is an erect shrub, 
reaching a height of 15-20 feet, with stout fleshy branchlets, long- 
petioled subcoriaceous glabrous cordate-deltoid repand leaves, small 
caducous lanceolate entire stipules, flowers in dense corymbose panicles 
shorter than the leaves, calyx of the males in. long with oblong 
segments, petals twice as long as the calyx united in the lower half and 
pilose within, stamens 10-12 with filaments joined at the base only, 
and a 2-3-coccous capsule an inch long with large oblong smooth seeds 
full of purgative oil. Pignon d? Inde or Medicinier. 
* J. multifida, Linn. ; Mull. Arg. in DC. Prod. xv. 2, 1089, a native 
of tropical America, is also casually subspontaneous in Mauritius. It 
is a glabrous shrub, 10-20 feet high, with persistent stipules cut into 
filiform divisions, long-petioled palmatifid leaves with 11 very deep 
entire or toothed lobes, flowers in dense peduncled compound corymbs, 
small membranous calyx with a campanulate tube and 5 deltoid or 
oblong segments, free scarlet petals, the glands of the male flower 
connate in a cup and a globose glabrous 3-celled capsule the size of a 
hazel-nut. Arlre Corail. 
* Aleurites moluccana , Willd. ; Mull. Arg. in DC. Prod. xv. 2, 723 
(A. triloba, Forst.), a native of Polynesia and tropical Asia, is planted 
and casually subspontaneous in Mauritius. It is a tall tree, with 
branchlets and calyces clothed with brown lepidote pubescence, long- 
petioled large ovate or deltoid acute entire or 3-5-lobed leaves, small 
monoicous flowers in a dense corymbose terminal panicle, calyx split- 
ting irregularly into 2-3 lobes, 5 exserted strap-shaped petals, numerous 
stamens in a central head, glands of the disk alternate with the petals, 
a 2-celled ovary with solitary ovules and a depresso-globose fleshy 
fruit as large as an apple. Noyer de Bancoul. 
Order XC* ARISTOLOCHIACEiE. 
Aristolochia acuminata , Lam. ; Duchartre in DC. Prod. xv. 479, said by Lamarck 
to be a plant of Mauritius, is known on tbe island only as an introduction, and is 
supposed by Bojer to be a native of Madagascar. It is a glabrous herbaceous 
twiner, with long-petioled middle-sized alternate cordate-ovate entire membranous 
acuminate leaves, flowers few in lax axillary corymbs with small round leafy 
bracts at tbe nodes and a perianth II in. long with a tube consisting in tbe lower 
half of a globe and tbe upper half of a cylinder and with an oblique panduriform 
limb as long as tbe tube, 6 anthers adnate in a whorl to tbe style and a 6 -celled 
inferior capsule with septicidal dehiscence. 
