CONVOLVULACEiE. 



than the corolla. Stigma capitate. — The roots furnish a resinous 

 substance used as a purgative in St. Domingo. Its use is not however 

 very safe, as it is apt to produce super-purgations. 



BATATAS. 



Sepals 5. Corolla campanulate. Stamens included. Style 1. 

 Stigma capitate, 2-lobed. Ovary 4-celled ; cells 1-seeded. Cap- 

 sule 4-celled, or by abortion 3-celled. 



815. B. paniculata Chois. conv. or. 54. — Convolvulus panicu- 

 latus Linn. sp. pi. 223. Roxb.Ji. ind. i. 478. Ipomaea panicu- 

 lata Bot. Reg. 62. Ipomaea insignis Sot. Repos. t. 636. Sot. 

 Reg. t. 75. Bot. Mag. t. 1790. — East Indies, New Holland, 

 Java, Africa, Tropics of America, in hedges and thickets. 



Root perennial, tuberous. Stems and branches perennial; young 

 shoots round and smooth. Leaves stalked, palmate, from 3 to 6 inches 

 each way ; the lobes generally 5, divided little more than half way 

 down, broad-lanceolate, entire, smooth. Peduncles axillary, erect, as 

 long as the petioles, umbellate. Flowers numerous, large, of a beautiful 

 dark reddish purple. Capsules 4-celled. Seeds woolly, all round. — 

 The large tuberous root is cathartic and is used as such by the natives 

 of the places where it grows. 



PHARBITIS. 



Sepals 5. Corolla campanulate or campanulate-funnel-shaped. 

 Style 1. Stigma capitate, granular. Ovary 3-celled or rarely 

 4-celled ; cells 2-seeded. 



816. P. Nil Chois. convolv. or. 57. — Convolvulus nil Linn, 

 sp. plant. 219. Ipomaea caerulea Roxb.Ji. Ind. i. 501. Bot. Reg. 



t. 276 All over the tropics, everywhere ; various, parts of the 



East Indies ; South Sea Islands. 



Stems and branches twining, annual, round, hairy, from 6 to 12 feet 

 long, as thick as a crow's quill. Leaves stalked, broad, cordate, 3-lobed, 

 downy ; from 2 to 4 inches long, acute. Peduncles axillary, the length of 

 the petioles, round, hairy, from 2 to 3-flowered. Bracts and sepals linear. 

 Flowers large, of a beautiful light, but bright blue. Stigma sub-globose, 

 large, glandular, 3-lobed. Capsule much shorter than the calyx, smooth, 

 3-celled, with 2 seeds in each cell. — Seeds sold in apothecaries' shops 

 of Calcutta, under the name of " Kala dana," as a purgative. Said to 

 be an effectual quick cathartic. Seeds are roasted like coffee, powdered, 

 and administered in doses of from 30 to 40 grains, in any convenient 

 vehicle. Roxb. 



CONVOLVULUS. 



Sepals 5. Corolla campanulate. Style 1. Stigmas 2, linear- 

 cylindrical, often revolute. Ovary 2-celled, 4-seeded. Capsule 

 2-celled. 



817. C. Scammonia Linn. sp. pi. 218. Woodv. med. bot. i. t. 5. 

 Flora GrcBca t. 192. Nees and Eberm. handb. ii. 633. plant. 



398 



