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Euphorbiaceæ (Sp climbing un jn jl G W)

Sp. 1-17. climbing 13650 un 12 jn.jl G W. Indies 1739. C Lp Jac.am.252.t.160 13657 13661 13655 13658 History, Use, Propagation, Culture, 13665 root, yields an excellent nutritious article of food when the juice has been expressed, which is a strong poison. J. gossypifolia is considered a beneficial plant in the West Indies, on account of the seeds, which are much relished by and very nourishing to poultry. J. Manihot, the Cassava of the West Indies, and the Mandioca and Tapioca of Brazil, formerly supplied the greater part of the nourishment of the natives of South America, and is now very generally cultivated there and in the West Indies. It yields an agreeable wholesome food; is of rapid growth, the roots arriving to perfection in about eight months, and it will thrive in any soil or situation. The juice of the root is sweetish, and when swallowed, or when the root is eaten without preparation, it brings on convulsions, and occasions violent retching and purging. It acts only on the nervous system; it produces no inflammation on the stomach; but the stomach of a man or other animal poisoned by it, appears to be contracted one half. A little mint-water and salt of wormwood, timely administered, will prevent all bad consequences. In preparing the roots for use as food, they are washed, scraped, and grated to a pulp: this pulp is then pressed, and when dried is a powder resembling starch or flower fit for use. It is generally baked as bread, and bears a considerable resemblance to that made from wheat flour. The roots entire, or in a powdered state, form an article of considerable export from different parts of Brazil. All the species thrive well in our stoves, and are increased by cuttings, which Sweet states, succeed best when stuck in the tan in a good heat. 2034. Ricinus. A name with the same derivation as Croton, No. 2032, which see. R. communis, though an annual and herbaceous plant in our gardens, becomes a tree in Africa of several years' standing. In Candia it continues many years, and, according to Belon, requires a ladder to come at the seeds. The seeds furnish the well known Castor-oil of medicine. This oil is obtained both by coction and expression. The former method is performed by tying up the seeds, previously decorticated and bruised, in a bag, which is suspended in boiling water, till all the oil is extracted and rises to the surface, when it is skimmed off. Oil so obtained is apt to become rancid, and, therefore, the better mode is to subject the seeds to the press, in the same manner as is done with almonds to procure almond oil. (See Amygdalus.) The oil obtained is equal to one fourth of the weight of the seeds employed. It is often adulterated with olive oil, linseed oil, and poppy oil. The great value of castor oil as a purgative is the mildness and rapidity with which it operates. It is peculiarly adapted for infants, ORDER VIII.

MONECIA MONADELPHIA. 13649 Leaves undivided 3-5-lobed palmate entire glaucous beneath 13650 Leaves 5-lobed cordate toothed hispid stinging 13651 Prickly, Leaves 3-lobed, Stem herbaceous 13652 Leaves peltate palmate: lobes lanceolate serrated, Stem herbaceous frosted, Capsules prickly 13653 Lvs. pelt. palm.: lobes oblong toothed; middle obsoletely 3-lobed, Stem herbaceous frosted, Caps. prickly 13654 Leaves peltate palmate: lobes oblong serrated, Stem shrubby smooth, Stigmas 6, Caps. prickly 13655 Leaves peltate palmate colored: lobes obl. serrate-toothed, Stem shrubby smooth colored, Caps. prickly 13656 Leaves peltate palmate: lobes oblong serrated, Stem shrubby frosted, Capsules unarmed 13657 Leaves peltate deeply palmate 9 cut serrated, Petioles glandular, Caps. with herbaceous spines 15658 Leaves peltate ovate acuminate repand toothed, Caps. prickly 13659 Leaves ovate oblong slightly cordate toothed: lower teeth long entire at end 13660 Leaves ovate deeply cordate equally serrate, Male catkin ovate 13661 Leaves ovate lanceolate, Capsules obovate 13662 Hermaphrodite, Leaves ovate entire, Flowers panicled decandrous, Caps. smooth 13663 Leaves 5-lobed: lobes acuminate, Calyxes campanulate, Caps. ovate hispid 13664 Leaves palmate 5-lobed, Calyxes rotate reflexed 13665 Leaves digitate 13666 Leaves ovate simply veiny 13667 Female flowers at base of male spike, Invol. ovate acuminate toothed, Leaves obl. lanc. remotely toothed 13668 Fem. fls. at base of male spike, Invol. cordate toothed, Leaves subrhomboid ovate serrated entire at base 13669 Spikes axill. male upwards: female downw. Invol. cordate acuminate with imbricated serratures ciliated 13670 Female flowers solitary or twin at base of the male spike, Invol. cordate serrate, Leaves rhomboid ovate 13671 Female flowers at base of the male spike without an involucre, Leaves roundish ovate subcordate serrated 13672 Spikes axill, male above female below, Invol. smoothish serrated, Leaves ovate acum, serr. cuncate at base 13673 Female spike cylind. solitary terminal, Invol. 3-parted awned ciliated, Leaves roundish-ovate acuminate 13674 Female flowers twin axillary, Involucres entire, Leaves ovate acuminate serrulate, Stem shrubby 13675 Flowers diœcious: male spiked; female axillary, Invol. roundish entire, Leaves smooth lane, subcord. 13676 Spikes male above; fem. below, Invol. cuneiform toothed at edge, Styles multifid, Lvs. obl. subcord. serr. 13677 Spikes axillary male above; female below, Invol. cordate hispid, Leaves ovate acute hispid 13678 Male spikes axillary female at base, Invol. O, Leaves ovate cordate acuminate serrated 13679 Spikes axillary erect, Female invols. cordate toothed very large, Leaves ovate-lanceolate serrated smooth 13680 Flowers diœcious spiked, Spikes axill. Invol. of females cordate cut, Leaves obl. lanceolate serrated smooth 13681 Leaves 3-lobed serrated: lobes oblong serrated, Bractes 3-lobed ciliated, Petioles shorter than peduncle 13660 13666 13682 13672 13668 13679 13681 and Miscellaneous Particuwars. women in childbed, and persons bed-ridden. Sown in pots on heat early in the season, and transplanted as soon as the frosts are over into a mass of light rich soil, the plant makes one of the most magnificent of border annuals, often attaining the height of ten or twelve feet. 2035. Hura. Its American name. H. crepitans is a rapid growing tree. From the quickness of its vegetation, its parts are of so loose a texture, that a loud clap of thunder, or a sudden gust of wind, frequently causes the largest boughs to snap asunder. The wood is only fit for joists and spars: the sap of the leaves and bark is corrosive, and the seeds when roasted purge both upwards and downwards. The species are propagated by large ripened cuttings, planted in sand, plunged in heat, and covered with a hand-glass. Its fruit when ripe bursts with a loud crack, whence the specific name of crepitans; they are of a very elegant form, resembling a depressed sphere with many rounded ribs, arranged with the utmost symmetry. 2036. Sterculia. Sterculius was the god of the privy, from stercus, excrement. It has been well observed by a French author, that the Romans, in the madness of paganism, finished by deifying the most immodest objects and the most disgusting actions. They had the gods Sterculius, Crepitus, Priapus; and the goddesses Caca, Pertunda, &c. &c. The flowers of one species and the leaves of the other are highly fetid. The species are lofty trees with large leaves, and some of them very showy flowers: they all thrive in light loamy soil; and ripened cuttings, with their leaves on, root in sand, plunged in moist heat, and covered with a handglass. The famous Cola nut of Guinea is the produce of S. acuminata. 2037. Heritiera. Named in honor of Charles Louis L'Heritier de Brutelle, a distinguished French botanist, who was unfortunately assassinated in a street of Paris in 1800. He published many works, which will always have a high reputation for the excellence of their text, and the magnificence of their illustrations. A fine tree, which may be treated like Sterculia. 2038. Acalypha. A Greek name for the nettle, which this genus much resembles. It is compounded of a, privative, κaλoς, beautiful, and aφη, touch. Plants of no beauty and the easiest culture. 2039. Dalechampia. So called after James Dalechamp, a French botanist, born in 1513, died in 1588. He left a General History of Plants, and some commentaries upon Pliny. May be treated as Plukenetia. MONECIA MONADELPHIA. 2040. PLUKENETIA. W. PLUKENETIA. 13682 volúbilis W. twining 支