ASCLEPIADE/E. XL. MarELEA. 
XL. MATELEA (meaning not explained by Aublet). Aubl. 
guian. 1. p. 277. t. 109. f. 1. R. Br. in mem. wern. soc. 1. p. 
36.—Hóstea, Willd. spec. 1. p. 1274. 
Lin. syst.  Pentándria, Digy'nia. Corolla rotate, 5-parted. 
Stamineous corona saucer-shaped, lobed. Anthers dehiscing 
transversely, terminated by a membrane ; pollen masses fixed by 
the exterior extremity, in respect to the cells, covering the 
stigma. Stigma flattish, depressed. Follicles ventricose, ribbed. 
Seeds naked.—Shrub erect. Leaves opposite, biglandular 
above the base. Flowers racemose, lateral. 
1 M. patv’srris (Aubl. 1. c.) leaves oblong-ovate, acuminated ; 
racemes simple. h.S. Native of Guiana, in marshy places. 
Hóstea viridiflóra, Willd. spec. 1. p. 1274. Flowers green. 
Marsh Matelea. Shrub 2 to 3 feet. 
2 M. tarirou1a (Aubl. l. c. f. 2.) leaves ovate-oblong ; 
flowers axillary. h.S. Native of Guiana. Flowers green. 
Broad-leaved Matelea. Shrub 1 to 2 feet. 
Cult. For culture and propagation, see Calótropis, p. 147. 
Tribe III. 
ASCLEPIE/E. Asclepiàdez vere, part. R. Br. in mem. 
wern. soc. l. p. 21. Pollen masses 10, smooth, 2 appertaining 
to each anther, fixed by pairs to the corpuscles of the stigma by 
their tops or beneath their tips, pendulous. 
§ 1. Stamineous corona appendiculate, simple, 5-leaved ; leaflets 
opposite the anthers, sub-cucullate, seated on the top of the 
tube of the filaments, having 5 small segments, one between 
each of the larger ones, in the same series. Corolla 5-parted, 
reflexed. 
XLI. ASCLE‘PIAS (from /Esculapius, the god of medicine; 
powerful medicinal effects of some species.) R. Br. in mem. 
wern. soc. 1. p. 36.—Asclépias, spec. Lin. Juss. and others. 
Lin. syst.  Pentándria, Digijnia. Corolla 5-parted, reflexed. 
Corona seated on the upper part of the tube of the filaments (f. 
18. a.), 5-leaved ; leaflets cucullate, having a horn-formed 
process protruding from the bottom. ^ Anthers terminated 
by a membrane; pollen masses compressed, fixed by the taper- 
ing tops, pendulous. Stigma depressed, mutic.  Follicles 
smooth. Seeds comose.—Erect, North American herbs. Leaves 
opposite, verticillate, and sometimes alternate. Umbels inter- 
petiolar. 
* Leaves opposite. 
1 A. Syriaca (Lin. spec. 313. Lam. dict. 1. p. 281.) stems 
simple; leaves lanceolate-oblong or oval, gradually acute, to- 
mentose beneath; umbels drooping. X. Native from New 
England to Virginia, in fields, and on the banks of rivers, com- 
mon. Pursh, fl. amer. sept. 1. p. 180. A. Syriaca, f, Illinénsis, 
Pers. ench. 1. p. 275. A. pubéscens, Mench. A. Apócynum, 
Gat. fl. montaub. p. 48. A. obovata, and A. tomentosa, Elliot, 
ex Spreng.—Blackw. t. 521.—Plenck, off. t. 255. Flowers in 
large, loose umbels, pale purple, sweet-scented. The nectaries, 
or leaflets of the corona, act as fly-traps. Lamarck has given, 
as the native country of this species Syria and Egypt ; and adds, 
as a synonyme, the Apócynum erectum latifolium, incanum Syria- 
cum; floribus parvis obsolete purpurascentibus, of Tour. inst. 
p. 91; as also a singular variety of the same, the Apócynum 
majus Syriacum rectum; caule viridi; flore axalbido, Tourn. 
». 9]. 
; Syrian Swallow-wort. Clt. 1629. Pl. 8 to 5 feet. 
2 A. ExaLTA'TA (Lin. amoen. acad. 8. p. 404. spec. 818. 
Link. enum. 1. p. 251.) stems downy ; leaves oblong, acute, pe- 
tiolate, downy on the nerves beneath; umbels drooping? pe- 
dicels, elongated ; horns of corona elongated. 2j. H. Native 
XLI. AscrEPiAs. 139 
of North America. A. Syriaca, 8, exaltàta, Willd. spec. 1. p. 
1265. Schultes, syst. 6. p. 69. A. connivens, Baldw. Corolla 
purplish outside, and white inside. Horns of corona white, in- 
curved, longer than the corolla. 
Exalted Swallow-wort. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1800. 
2 to 8 feet. 
3 A. PHYTOLACCOÌDES (Lyon, ex Pursh, fl. amer. sept. 1. p. 
180.) stems erect, simple ; leaves broad-ovate-oblong, acute, gla- 
brous, paler beneath ; umbels lateral and terminal, solitary, on 
long peduncles, drooping. 4. H. Native of Virginia and 
Carolina, on the mountains ; as well as on the banks of the Platte 
and Arkansas. Stem spotted with purple. Leaves large, with 
a purple midrib. Corolla green; corona white, with truncate 
leaflets.— Gron. virg. p. 38. 
Phytolacca-like Swallow-wort. 
Pl. 3 to 4 feet. 
4 A. speciosa (Torrey, in ann. lyc. new york, 2. p. 218.) 
plant clothed with fine tomentum ; leaves ovate, cordate, obtuse, 
on short petioles ; umbels axillary, and terminal, solitary ; leaf- 
lets of corona erect, lanceolate, 3 times longer than the gynoste- 
gium, bluntish, bidentate inside, at the base. h. H. Native 
of North America, on the banks of the Canadian river. Flowers 
twice as large as those of Ascl. Syriaca, pale purple?. Calycine 
segments lanceolate, spreading. Segments of corolla oblong, re- 
flexed, obtuse. Horns of corona short, incurved, compressed. 
Showy Swallow-wort. Pl. 2 to 3 feet. ? 
5 A. pnx/siLIs (Michx. fl. amer. bor. 1. p. 116.) smoothish ; 
stems weak, erect, simple; leaves petiolate, oval-lanceolate, 
acute at both ends, membranous ; umbels terminal and axillary, 
loose-flowered ; pedicels capillary. 2/. H. Native from New 
York to Carolina; in shady, rocky situations, near rivulets. 
Flowers white. Leaves large. The fibres of the stem produce 
a kind of flax, as all the rest of the species do, but far superior, 
being of a beautiful silky gloss, and extreme strength. 
Weak Swallow-wort. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1818. Pl. 2 ft. 
6 A. PARVIFIÒRA (Ait. hort. kew. 1. p. 307.) leaves lanceo- 
late, acuminated, glabrous, attenuated at the base; umbels late- 
ral, solitary; stems suffruticose, erect. 2%. H. Native of 
Carolina and Florida, in sandy fields. Pursh. fl. amer. sept. 1. 
p.180. Jacq. eclog. t. 28. A. perénnis, Walt. fl. carol. p. 107. 
Flowers small, white. 
Small-flowered Swallow-wort. 
PI. 2 to 3 feet. 
7 A. roLvsTA'CHYA (Walt. fl. car. p. 107.) leaves lanceolate, 
smooth, petiolate; stems suffruticose; umbels lateral and ter- 
minal. 2)/. H. Native of Carolina. This plant is not men- 
tioned by Pursh ; but is probably the same as 4. parviflora. 
Many-spiked Swallow-wort. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1825. Pl. 
2 to 3 feet. 
8 A. Cunassa' vica (Lin. spec. 
314.) stem simple, seldom a 
little branched; leaves oblong- 
lanceolate, tapering at both ends, 
glabrous; umbels erect, soli- 
tary, lateral.  5.S. Native of 
Curassoa, Essequibo, Cumana, 
Trinidad, and now found in most 
parts of tropical America. Meyer, 
Ess. p. 138. Lodd. bot. cab. 349. 
Ker. bot. reg. 81. A. bicolor, 
Monch.—&Sloan. hist. 2, t. 129. 
—Dill. elth. 34. t. 30. f. 33. 
—Herm. par. t. 36.? Stem 
rather downy. Flowers of a 
reddish-orange colour, or scar- 
let.  Follicles muricated with scattered teeth, ex Lam. 
TS 
Shrub 
Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1812. 
Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1774. 
FIG. 18. 
The 
