Shrubs or trees. Juice not milky. Leaves opposite, simple, entire. Flowers in lateral fascicles, heads or spikes, regular, monoecious. Perianth simple, of 4 segments in the male flowers, of 4-6 in the female. Disc absent. Stamens 4, opposite the sepals, or 6. Filaments free. Anthers 2-celled. Ovary superior, 3-celled. Ovules 2 in each cell, pendulous or nearly so, inverted, with dorsal raphe. Styles 3, free, short and thick, undivided, persisting in fruit. Fruit a loculicidal capsule. Seeds albuminous; embryo axile, straight.--Genera 3; species 8. (Under _EUPHORBIACEAE_.) 1. Stamens 4; filaments long. Male flowers with a rudimentary pistil. Perianth of the female flowers of 4-6 segments.--Species 6. The box (_B. sempervirens_ L.) is used as a garden-plant and yields wood and medicaments; another species affords arrow-poison. [Tribe BUXEAE.] =Buxus= L. Stamens 6; filaments very short or absent. Male flowers without a rudimentary pistil. Perianth of the female flowers of 4 segments. [Tribe STYLOCEREAE.] 2 2. Flowers in fascicles, the male on long pedicels, very small. Leaves narrowed into a long point.--Species 1. Central Africa. =Macropodandra= Gilg Flowers in groups of 3, nearly sessile, not very small. Leaves blunt or slightly pointed.--Species 1. South-east Africa. =Notobuxus= Oliv. SUBORD ER EMPETRINEAE FAMILY 125. EMPETRACEAE Low shrubs. Leaves alternate, sometimes almost whorled, undivided, grooved on the under surface, without stipules. Flowers solitary or in heads, bracteolate, unisexual or polygamous. Sepals 3. Petals 3 or none. Stamens 3, hypogynous, opposite to the sepals, free. Disc absent. Ovary superior, 2-9-celled. Ovules solitary in each cell, erect, inverted, with ventral raphe. Style branched. Fruit a drupe. Seeds without an outgrowth at the hilum, albuminous. Embryo axile; radicle turned downwards.--Genera 2, species 2. North and South Africa. Flowers, at least the male, crowded in terminal heads. Ovary cells, style-branches, and fruit-stones 2-5. Style with linear branches.--Species 1. Canary Islands and Azores. The fruits are used as a condiment and in medicine. =Corema= Don Flowers solitary, on lateral dwarf-shoots. Ovary-cells, style-branches, and fruit-stones 6-9. Style with broadened branches.--Species 1. Island of Tristan da Cunha. The fruits (crawberries) are eaten and used for preparing drinks and medicaments. =Empetrum= L. SUBORDER CORIARIINEAE FAMILY 126. CORIARIACEAE Shrubs. Leaves opposite, simple, entire, 3-nerved, without stipules. Flowers in racemes, hermaphrodite or polygamous. Sepals 5, imbricate in bud. Petals shorter, fleshy, enlarged after flowering. Stamens 10. Anthers opening inwards. Carpels 5, distinct. Ovule 1 in each carpel, pendulous, inverted, with dorsal raphe. Fruit with a crustaceous rind, indehiscent. Seeds with scanty albumen. Genus 1, species 1. North-west Africa. Poisonous and used for tanning and dyeing. =Coriaria= L. SUBORDER ANACARDIINEAE FAMILY 127. ANACARDIACEAE