Fig. 97.—Snow on the mountain (Euphorbia marginata). a, Whole plant, one-third natural size; b, seed capsule, natural size.
MELIACEÆ (UMBRELLA-TREE FAMILY).
* Melia azedarach.—The Chinese umbrella-tree is much cultivated for ornament, and sometimes grows wild in the South. A correspondent from Arizona stated that three of his hogs were poisoned by eating the seeds, which were ignorantly offered to them for food.
EUPHORBIACEÆ (SPURGE FAMILY).
Euphorbia.—There are many species of spurge native to the United States, nearly all of which contain an acrid milky juice. Stock generally avoid them, but cattle have been poisoned by drinking water into which the plants have been thrown. The juice of E. marginata and E. bicolour is used to some extent in Texas to brand cattle, it being held to be superior to a red-hot iron for that purpose, because screw worms will not infect the fresh scar and the spot heals more readily.
* Jatropha stimulosa.—The seeds of the spurge nettle of the Southern States are extremely poisonous. Stock avoid the plant on account of its stinging hairs.
Fig. 98.—Castor oil plant (Ricinus communis).
