Nymphoides GENTIANACEAE-APOCYNACEAE Nerium 



and umbels of 5-merous yellow or white fls. on long slender stems (apparently the 

 petioles); corolla lobes fringed, with glandular appendages at the base. 20 species, 

 widely distributed in fresh water; 2 in China. Limnanthemum Gmel. (Nymphoi-des: 

 nymphaea-like.) 



1. Nymphoides peltatum (Gmel.) Kuntze {Limnanthemum nymphoides (L.) Hoffm. & 

 Link) -^M (Hsing Ts'ai) (G.M. 1166, G.M. 7 th 661). Herb, creeping on mud or 

 floating; fls. yellow, V-X. Eurasia; locally in An., Ki., Ku. Ponds and lakes. 

 Fig. 301. 



145. APOCYNACEAE Dogbane Family JiYityWk (Chia Chu T'ao K'o) 

 Herbs, shrubs or trees, often climbing, with latex, and usually with opposite or 

 whorled entire estipulate lvs.: fls. perfect, regular, 5- (or 4-) merous; corolla usually 

 twisted in the bud, often with appendages in the throat; carpels 2, superior, distinct: 

 fr. a pair of follicles, rarely berry- or drupe-like; seeds usually compressed and hairy- 

 tufted. 300 genera with 1,300 species, of tropical and subtropical regions; 20 genera 

 and 30 species in China. 



Key to the Genera 



Plants erect. 



Anthers free from the stigma: lvs. ovate-oblong, obtuse: low 



plants, herbs or shrubby below 1 . Catharanthus 



Anthers joined to the stigma: lvs. linear-lanceolate, acute: 



shrubs or small trees 2. Nerium 



Decumbent or twining shrubs 3 . Trachelospermum 



1. Catharanthus G. Don JI^TtM 



(Ch'ang Ch'un Hua Shu; Forever-spring Flower Genus) 



Low plants, shrubby at the base, with ovate-oblong obtuse opposite lvs. and axillary 

 fls., solitary or in pairs; corolla salverform, with a slender tube; stamens included; 

 anthers free from the stigma; disc composed of 2 large glands, alternating with the 

 carpels; carpels distinct; but the styles united: follicles erect or spreading: seeds not 

 appendaged. 3 species, in tropical America, India and Madagascar; one cultivated in 

 China. (Greek: katharos, pure; and anthos, flower.) 



1. Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don (Vinca rosea Linn.; Lochnera rosea (L.) Reichb.) 

 Madagascar Periwinkle B0t£ (Jih Jih Ts'ao; Daily-flowering Herb) (B.M. 812). 

 Herb or subshrub, to 6 dm.; fls. rose-purple or white, IX. Tropical countries; 

 locally in Ku. Planted, ornamental. Fig. 302. 



2. Nerium Linn. ^M^^M (Chia Chu T'ao Shu) 

 Upright shrubs or small trees with linear- lanceolate acute whorled or opposite lvs. 

 and abundant large showy fls. in terminal cymes; corolla funnel-form, with a cylindri- 

 cal tube; anthers with long appendages at the top, joined together in a ring attached 

 to the stigma; fr. a pair of elongated follicles. 3 species, in Eurasia; one in China. 

 (Greek name of the Oleander.) 



1. Nerium indicum Mill. Sweet-scented Oleander ^-ftfcl (Chia Chu T'ao) (B.M. 1st 

 604). Evergreen shrub or tree, to 7 m.; fls. white, red or purple, fragrant, V- 



314 



