EUPHORBIACEAE

LXXXVII. EUPHORBIACEAE View in CoL 2

Dioecious or monoecious herbs or shrubs, often with latex. Leaves usually alternate, simple; usually stipulate. Flowers usually actinomorphic, often apetalous and sometimes without sepals. Male flowers with one to many stamens with free or connate filaments. Female flowers with a usually 3-locularsuperior ovary and 3 styles; disc usually present, annular, pulvinate or cyathiform; ovules 1-2 in each loculus. Fruit a capsule, often dehiscing explosively; seeds often carunculate.

1 Inflorescence usually umbellate; flowers without perianth, in small groups surrounded by an involucre; latex present 7. Euphorbia 1 Inflorescence not umbellate; perianth present; flowers not surrounded by an involucre; latex absent 2 Plant with stellate hairs 3. Chrozophora 2 Plant glabrous or with simple hairs 3 Shrubs 4 Spiny; leaves up to 1 -5 cm, entire 2. Securinega 4 Unarmed; leaves up to 60 cm, palmately lobed 6. Ricinus 3 Herbs,sometimeswoodyat base 5 Leaves palmately lobed 6. Ricinus 5 Leaves entire, serrate or crenate 6 Leaves opposite 4. Mercurialis 6 Leaves alternate 7 Perennial; leaves entire 1. Andrachne 7 Annual, leaves crenate 5. Acalypha