enphorbiaceæ

pl. [Lat. euphorbi (a) (q. v.), and fem. pl. adj. suff.- aceœ.] Bot.: Spurge worts. A large and important order of Diclinous Exogens, the typical one of the alliance Euphorbia les (q. v.). The species consists of trees or herbaceous plants, often abounding in acrid milk; the leaves are opposite or alternate, generally simple, and, as a rule, with stipules; the flowers are axillary or terminal, often placed within a calyx-like involucre; the calyx, if present, is in ferior, with various scaly glandular or scaly internal appendages; corolla petaloid or scaly, sometimes gamopetalous; stamens definite or indefinite, distinct or monadelphous; ovary generally three celled, but sometimes with two cells or with one, or with more than three styles generally equal in num ber to the cells; stigma compound or single, with several lobes; fruit generally tri coccous; seeds solitary or twin, suspended often, with an aril; embryo inclosed in fleshy albumen. Ju ieu and his followers considered the Euphorbia cere an apetalous order, exceptional genera forming petals; Lindley and his followers a polypetalous one, in many genera of which the petals are wanting. The habit of the Euphorbia cere is very diversified. Lindley enumerated 191 genera, and estimated the known species described or undescribed at 2,500. These have now been increased to about 3,000. Three eighths are from tropical America; fifty from this country, outside the tropics; about one-sixth from India, many from the Cape, and about 120 from Europe. Many Euphorbiacese are poisonous, the special seat of the venom being in the milk; but heat can drive it away, so that the Manihot or Ca ava, highly deleterious when raw, becomes wholesome by being cooked. The milk of this order furnishes caoutchouc. For the gum resin Euphorbium, see that word; for the properties of other species of the order, see Box, Bridelia, Buxus, Castor-oil, Croton, Euphorbia, Menchineal, Pedi lanthus, Siphon i a, .