Annual slender silvery-scurfy monoecious herbs with branched stems, narrow alternate or rarely opposite short-petioled leaves, the flowers in terminal and lateral clusters. Stami-nate flowers uppermost in the clusters, with an equally 5-parted calyx, 5 petals and 5 inflexed stamens opposite the petals, the filaments distinct, enlarged at the summit. Pistillate flowers with a 3-5-parted calyx, no petals, 5 petal-like glands opposite the calyx-segments, and a 1-celled ovary; ovule 1; style twice or thrice cleft. Fruit a small scaly or spiny achene-like capsule. Seed lenticular or terete, longitudinally wrinkled; embryo straight in fleshy endosperm. [Greek. Croton-like.l Two known species, natives of the southeastern United States. Type species: Crotonopsis linearis Michx.

1. Crotonopsis Linearis Michx. Crotonopsis

Fig. 2718

C. linearis Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 186. pl. 46. 1803.

Silvery, covered with peltate somewhat fringed scales, except on the green upper surfaces of the leaves. Stem wiry, 4'-1 1/2° high, much branched; leaves oblong-ovate to linear-lanceolate, 1/2'-1 1/2' long, entire; staminate flowers with an equally 5-parted calyx, the petals spatulate; calyx of the pistillate flowers unequally 3-5-parted; achene ovoid-elliptic; seed ovoid, 1"-1 1/2" long.

In dry sandy soil, Connecticut and New Jersey to Tennessee, Illinois. Missouri, Kansas, south to Florida and Texas. July-Sept.