[ 4 4 1 ]
E U P H O R B I A Portlandica.
Portland Spurge.
D O D E CAND RIA Trigynia.
Gen. Char. Petals 4 or 5, ftanding on the calyx.
Cal. of one leaf, inflated. Cap/. 3-lobed.
S pec. Char. Umbel of 5 rays, forked. Partial invo-
lucra nearly heart-fhaped, concave. Leaves linear-
lanceolate, pointed, fmooth, fpreading.
$yn. Euphorbia Portlandica. Linn. Sp. PI. 6<6.
Hudf. 208. With. 448.
Tithymalus maritimus minor Portlandicus. Ran Synr
313, t. 24,f . 6.
S P E C IF IC names taken from the local fituations of plants
are generally exceptionable, but in the prefent cafe lefs fo than
ufual ; the Portland Spurge being found wild chiefly on or
about the peninfula called Portland-ifland on the Dorfetfhire
coaft. It fometimes indeed occurs on the fhores of Devon-
fhire, and we have a fpecimen collected by F. Borone in Cornwall.
That here delineated was gathered by A. B. Lambert,
Efq. on rocks hanging over the fea on the fouth fide of Portland-
ifland, flowering in Auguft.
Root (we believe) perennial, long, branching, whitilh. Stem
fcarcely a foot high, round, woody, leafy, purplifh in autumn,
terminating in a 5-rayed umbel, with 2 or 3 ftraggling flower-
ftalks beneath it, which, like thofe that compofe the umbel,
are about twice forked. Leaves fcattered, linear-lanceolate,
inclining to be obovate or fpatulate, obtufe with a lharp point,
fpreading, glaucous, as is every other part of the herb. General
involucrum of 5 leaves like thofe of the Hem; partial ones
in pairs, rhomboid, fcarcely heart-fhaped, a little concave,
pointed, entire. Calyx pale. Petals 4, greenilh yellow, horned.
Fruit flightly tuberculated at the projecting parts. Lin-
nseus, in cultivating this plant, obferved the firft and fecond
flowers to be only males, and to have blunt petals without
horns. We have found none fuch.
We beg leave to correct an unaccountable error into which
we have fallen in the generic character of all the Euphorbia hitherto
figured in this work, t. 195, 256 and 333 ; inftead of the
petals being 3 or 4, we ought to have faid 4 or 5. Thofe who
are molt ufed to compofe works of fcience, will moft readily
pardon fijnilar blunders,