32 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA: _Asclepias. 
A native of hedges, forests, &c. but by no means com- | 
mon, 
Stems twining, woody. Branches and branchlets most 
numerous, cylindric and smooth ; particularly the young- 
est shoots, and they are generally pendulous when not 
supported ; naked and succulent, like those of Euphrobia 
Tirucalli. Leaves scarcely the rudiments of any tobe seen. 
Flowers small, pure white, fragrant, pedicelled, collected. 
round the extremities of the branchlets, in the form of ele- 
gant, small, simple umbellets. Calyx small, five-parted, 
star-like. Corol flat seemingly five-petioled, as the fis- 
sures are continued close to the base. Nectary enlarged 
at the base in form of a cup, on which rests five, large 
fleshy, incurved, undivided, white segments. Stamens 
and pistil, as in the germs. Follicles, I never saw them. 
' This plant yields a larger portion of very pure milky 
juice than any other I know; and what is rare, itis of a 
mild nature, and acid taste. The native travellers often 
suck the tender shoots to ally their thirst, 
4, A. racemosa. R. ; : 
Twining to a vast extent. Leaves round, cordate. Ge 
nitalia oblate, Follicles linear oblong, obtuse. 
A native of various parts of India. Flowering time, 
in Bengal, the month of May. 
Stems, and old branches woody, covered with dark, 
scabrous bark, twining up, and over trees of a large 
size ; young shoots round, smooth, bright green. Leaves 
opposite, petioled, round-—cordate, entire, acuminate ; 
Lobes large, and rounded, smooth on both sides ; some 
conic glands at the base, which become brown by age; 
length, from 3 to 6 inches and nearly as broad. Petioles 
shorter than the leaves, round, smooth. Racemes late- 
rifoliate, peduncled, smooth, nearly erect, continuing to 
lengthen as the spirally disposed flowers expand. 
Pedicles diverging, long, round, and smooth. Flowers 
