CYNANCHUM. 



10-cleft, about as long as the corolla. Stigma pointed, emarginate. 

 Wight. — Yields an excellent Caoutchouc, at Penang, according to 

 Dr. Wallich. 



1151. C. Argel Deliledescr.de VEgypte t. 20. f. 2. Nees 

 and Eb. pi. med. suppl. — ? ? C. olesefolium Nectoux voy. t. 3. 

 — Upper Egypt. 



Stems erect, pallid, round. Leaves scarcely stalked, about an inch 

 long, ovate-lanceolate, acute, smooth on each side and rather wrinkled, 

 glaucous on the under side. Corymbs small, axillary, with many smooth 

 alternate branches. Sepals lanceolate. Corolla white, but little longer 

 than the calyx. — The leaves and whole plant powerfully purgative, and 

 even drastic. The former are mixed very largely with Senna, but 

 whether intentionally or through carelessness does not appear ; they 

 form the bulk of many samples of Alexandrian Senna; but do not occur 

 in those from Tinnivelly. Gomphocarpus fruticosus, also called Argel or 

 Arghel, in Syria, is occasionally employed for the same purpose. If it 

 were for no other reason than its being free from Argel leaves, the 

 Tinnivelly Senna ought to be preferred for medical use ; for there is 

 no doubt that the griping and unpleasant effects of common Senna are 

 attributable to their presence. 



SARCOSTEMMA. 



Corolla rotate. Coronet of stamens double ; the exterior cup- 

 shaped, or annular, crenated ; the interior 5-leaved, longer than 

 the outer, with fleshy segments. Anthers terminated by a mem- 

 brane. Pollen-masses fixed by the point, pendulous. Stigma 

 nearly blunt. Follicles slender, smooth. Seeds comose. RBr. 



1152. S. glaucum HBK. n. g. and sp. pi. iii. 194. t. 229. — 

 Near the port of La Guayra, Mayqueties and Cabo Blanco, on 

 the coast of the Caribean sea. 



A lactescent, smooth, twining, herbaceous plant. Leaves lanceolate, 

 short-stalked, slightly revolute, membranous, veiny, with the midrib 

 prominent on the under side, which is glaucous. Umbels many-flowered, 

 between the petioles, on a very long peduncle. Flowers the size 

 of those of Ascl. syriaca. Segments of the calyx lanceolate, acuminate, 

 ciliated. Corolla white with a large, fleshy, wavy, annular coronet ; 

 segments of the corolla fringed, spreading. — Employed in Venezuela 

 as an emetic, in room of Ipecacuanha. 



HEMIDESMUS. 



Corolla rotate, with 5 pointless scales inserted below the si- 

 nuses. Filaments connate at the base ; distinct at the upper 

 end, inserted into the tube of the corolla; anthers cohering se- 

 parate from the stigma, beardless, simple at the point. Pollen- 

 masses 20, granular, attached in fours to a solitary reniform 

 appendage of each corpuscule. Stigma flattish, pointless. Fol- 

 licles cylindrical, very much divaricating, smooth. Seeds comose. 

 W. and A. 



1153. H. indicus RBr. in hort. Kew. ii. 75. Wight and Am. 



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