C 788 ] 



Asclepias Carnosa. Thick-Leavei> 

 asclepias. 



#*-$** * ** *♦* #*** * * * 



Chifs and Order, 

 Pentandria Digynia. 



Generic Cbaracler. 



Contorta. Neftaria 5/ ovata, concava, corniculum exfe- 

 rentia. 



Specific Char abler and Synonyms. 



ASCLEPIAS carnofa ; caule fruticofo quadrangulari volubili, 

 umbellis fimplicibus nutantibus, foliis oppofttis 

 ovatis margine revolutis carnofis g!abris. 



ASCLEPIAS carmfa. Limn Suppl. 170. IVilld. Sp. PL 1. 

 1264. 



For a fpecimen of this very rare plant, a native of China, 

 ■we are indebted to the honourable Mrs. Barrington, in 

 whole collection at Mongewell, in Berkfhire, it flowered in, 

 July laft. LiNN^ushad feen only a Imall dried fpecimen, 

 which had been fraudulently given by the Chinefe as the plant, 

 producing the Gamboge. Had he examined it in a living 

 Hate it is probable he would not have referred it to the genus 

 Afclepias, as it wants the hollow horned neclaries, and is very 

 different in habit from the other fpecies. Perhaps it may form 

 a new genus including Stapelia chinenfis and cochinchinenfis 

 of Loureiro;* but as we did not receive the plant from our 

 draughtfmaii in a fufficiently perfefct ftate to determine with 

 certainty to what genus it really belongs, we have thought it 

 beft to continue the appellation given to it in the fupplementum, 

 and retained in Willdenow's edition of the Species Plan- 

 tarum. 



It has been hitherto treated as a ftove plant, 



* Vvhilft this account was in the Prefs, we have feen Looretro's fpeclmerf 

 of _ Stapelia cochhichinenfis, together with a drawing of the flower by our 

 fnend, Mr. Charles Konig, which confirms our fufpicion of the very near 

 affinity of thefe plants. The habit, the leaves, and the form of the ne'ftaria, 

 are exactly fimilar. 





