Euphorbiaceae: the Spurge Family
Habit: herbs, shrubs, stem succulents, trees, often with milky sap
Leaves: alternate, opposite, whorled, simple (rarely palmately compound), stipulate
Plants: monoecious or dioecious
Inflorescence: cymose, racemes, cyathium
Flowers: imperfect, regular or irregular
Sepals: 0-8, mostly 5, distinct or connate
Petals: 0 (4-6), distinct or basally connate, free or adnate at base to stamens
Stamens: 1-many, distinct or variously connate
Ovary: 3 carpels, connate; superior, 3 (1-4) locules with 1 or 2 apical-axile ovules per locule; styles 3 (1-4), often forked
Fruit: schizocarpic capsule (drupe, berry, pod, samara).