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EUPHORBIA heliofcopia.
Sun Spurge.
DODECANDRIA Trigynia.
Gen. Char. Cal. of i leaf, inflated, inferior. Nectaries
4 or 5, Handing on the calyx. Capfuls
ftalked, 3-lobed.
Spec. Char. Umbel five-cleft, then three-cleft and
forked. Partial involucra obovate. Leaves wedge-
fhaped, ferrated.
Syn. Euphorbia heliofcopia. Linn. Sp. Pi. 658. Sm.
FI. Brit. 516. Hudf. 209. With. 449. Hull. 105.
Relb. 185. Sibth. 15a. Abbot. 105. Curt. Land,
fafc. 1. t. 36.
Tithymalus heliofcopius. Rail Syn. 313.
A VERY common weed in cultivated land, known to
country people by the name ofWart-wort, (fometimes corrupted
into Rat-weed), the acrid milky juice being ufed to take off
warts from the tkin ; but it fometimes caufes dangerous inflammation.
When fuch an accident happens, oil plentifully
applied is the bed cure.
The herb is annual, flowering in July and Auguft, when its
umbel being always turned to the fun has procured it the name
heliofcopia, a fun-gazer, a name equally applicable to the
generality of flowers. The main ftem is upright, round,
furnifhed at the bafe with lateral branches, except in a very
flarved date. Leaves fcattered, wedge-lhaped or obovate,
fmooth, tender, ferrated towards the top. Umbel of 5 fpreading
rays, which are three-cleft, and then forked. The general
and partial involucra refemble the leaves. Calyx as in the
reft of the genus. Ne&aries 4, roundifh and entire, at firft
green, then yellow. Capfule quite deftitute of warts or pu-
befcence.