1. Euphorbia, Linn.

Herbs or shrubs abounding in milky juice. Inflorescence of numerous males and a single female flower crowded in a small cup-shaped 4–5-lobed calyx-like involucre, the lobes usually alternating with as many fleshy glands, which often possess a white or coloured spreading limb. Male flowers consisting of a pedicelled stamen without floral envelopes of any kind; anther-cells globose. Female flower central in the involucre, of a long-pedicelled 3-celled ovary, also without floral envelopes; styles 3; ovules solitary in each cell. Capsule 3-lobed, splitting into 3 2-valved cocci, which fall away from a persistent axis.

A vast genus of worldwide distribution, very feebly represented in New Zealand. There are probably more than 600 species, of very diversified habit and characters. Several species from the Northern Hemisphere are naturalised in New Zealand, the most common being the milkweed, E. Peplus, a small glabrous annual branched from the base, with thin obovate entire leaves, an umbel of 2–3 repeatedly divided rays, smooth capsules, and pitted seeds.

• 1. E. glauca, Forst. Prodr. n. 208. — A tall stout perfectly glabrous smooth and glaucous herb 1–3 ft. high. Stems from a creeping rhizome, erect, terete, lower portion marked with the scars of the fallen leaves, leafy above, umbellately branched at the top. Leaves crowded, 1–4 in. long, linear-or lanceolate-obovate to oblong-obovate, obtuse or mucronate, sessile, quite entire. Umbels broad; rays 5–6, each once or twice forked; floral leaves much broader than the cauline, broadly oblong. Involucres almost concealed by the floral leaves, shortly pedicelled, campanulate, ¼ in. diam.; glands 4–5, dark-purple, crescent-shaped. Capsule nearly as large as a pea, pendulous, globose, quite smooth and glabrous. Seeds smooth, greyish.—A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 352; A. Cunn. Precur. n 339; Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 227; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 248.

  North and South Islands: Common along the shores from the North Cape to the south of Otago. Waiuatua. October–February. Also found in Norfolk Island.