[ 8 4 0
EUPHORBIA
]
a
Cypariflias.
Cyprefs Spurge.
D ODECANDRIA Trigynia*
G en. Char. Cal. of one leaf, inflated, inferior.
Nefiaries 4 or 5, (landing on the calyx. Capfule
(talked, 3-dobed.
Spec. Char. Umbel of many dichotomous rays.
Partial involucra fomewhat heart-fhaped. Stem-
leaves lanceolate ; thofe on the tide branches very
narrow.
Syn. Euphorbia Cypariflias. Linn.Sp. PI. 661. Sm.Fl.
Brit. 519. With. 451. Sym. 117. Hull. 106.
T • . -1 H IS EuphorKa was fir ft introduced to the knowledge of
the Britifh botanift by Dr. Withering, who mentions it as
growing wild in Lord Stamford’s woods in Staffordfhire. Our
fpecimen confirms his affertion, having been gathered by the
Rev. Mr. Abbot in Barton Leat W^ood, Bedfordfhire, in
Auguft 1799.
I he root creeps to a confiderable extent, but not very rapidly.
Stems about a foot high, round, fmooth, leafy,-furniflied with
feveral alternate, upright, lateral, very leafy branches. Leaves
entire, linear, fcattered ; thofe on the main ftem broader and
almoft lanceolate; the reft very narrow, almoft fetaceous.
Umbel of from 7 to 15 rays, which are forked repeatedly, and
a few fhorter axillary rays are fcattered down the ftem, as in
many other fpecies. General involucra of feveral broad lanceolate
leaves ; partial of broader yellowifh fmooth heart-fhaped
ones. Ne&aries four, yellow, crefcent-fhaped, a little pointed.
Capfule fmooth; Roth in his excellent Flora Germanica
mentions it as being fometimes tuberculated.
The involucella, and even the leaves, frequently afiume a
bright faffron or vermilion hue in autumn, exactly like that
of the wild Box-tree, a plant of the fame natural order.
84-0