32 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. AsckpiaS. 



A native of hedges, forests, &c. but by no means com- 

 mon. 



Stems twining, woody. Branches and branchlets most 

 numerous, cyiindric 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 to be 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, it is 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. Gc- 

 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 ; 

 Loftes 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. Floivers 



