ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANV. iGj 



large embryo. Similar^ discrepancies in regard to this point of the organization of plants, as 

 compared with other indications of relationship, being frequent, it occurs to me, the only 

 conchision we can, in the present state of our knowledge, draw from them is, that the true 

 'value of characters derived from the albumen is still undetermined and that it is, to say the 

 least, premature to attach to it so high a value as to break up generally recognized relation- 

 ships, merely on account of variations of this single point of the organization. In sayino- this, 

 I by no means wish to under estimate its value, as an ordinal or generic character, but adduce 

 the facts here stated in support of the opinion expressed above (pages 130 and 131), that in 

 groups higher than orders, it is a difficult subject to deal with, and requires to be used with 

 caution. Influenced by these considerations, I am not prepared to adopt Dr. Lindley^'s views in 

 regard to the affinities of this order, which I still think, notwithstanding its deficient albu- 

 men, much more nearly related to Apocynaceoe than to Solanacew^ and moreover think, with 

 Endlicher and Meisner, that a group, composed of Oleacece^ LoganiacecB^ Gentianece^ Apocy- 

 nacece^ AsdepiadecB^ and Jasminece^ constituting, as thus arranged, a nearly perfect circle, forms 

 a more natural association than those represented by either the Solanal or Gentianal alliances, 

 as they now stand in Lindley"'s ^^Vegetable Kingdom,^' the only considerable intervals being 

 between OleacecB and LoganiacecE. and Asclepiadew and Jasminece^ two orders, as already 

 mentioned, whose immediate affinities are vei'y' obscure, but to my mind better placed here 

 than anywhere else. They all have regular flowers, dicarpellary ovaries, and more or less 

 copious albumen. Opposite leaves is the prevalent character of all, and nearly as much simi- 

 larity of habit and properties pervades the group, as a whole, as we find in any of the families 

 composing it. 



Geographical Distkibution. *This is an order of great extent, including upwards of 

 1,000 species and has, over the warmer regions of the Earth, a proportionately extensive distri- 

 bution. In Asia, Africa, and America, they abound; several are natives of Australia and 

 the neighbouring islands, and a few extend to Europe. Africa, however, is considered the head- 

 quarters, especially towards the southern promontory, where Stapelias are very numerous. In 

 America the species are also very numerous, two large genera, Asdepias and Gonolohus, are 

 principally confined to warmer North American States. Over India they are generally diffused, 

 extending from Cape Comorin to high on the Himalayas where one species of Ceropegia 

 luxuriates at an elevation of between 6,000 and 7,000 feet. In the peninsula, they are about 

 equally numerous on the plains and sub-alpine jungles, and several are found on the Neilgherries 

 at an elevation of between 7,000 and 8,000 feet, among which may be mentioned species of 



Ceropegia^ Tylophora^ Gymnema, 



Cynanchum). Several StapeliecB 



are common on the plains, thus associating the flora of India with that of Southern Africa. 

 The number of species found in India amounts, I believe, to between 200 and 300,^ and many 

 of them 80 common that they are met with everywhere, such as Calotropis^ Tylophora, 

 Leptadenia, &c. 



Properties and Uses. The species of this family being, like their allies, the Jpocj/nacece, 

 distinguished by the very general presence of milky juices, are characterized by the possession 

 of nearly similar properties. Acrimony is a general feature, hence many of them_ exhibit^ those 

 poisonous properties which, in a milder form, give rise to the drastic and emetic qualities, so 

 frequently met with in the order. In a few, these are so much reduced as to become innocuous, 

 and admit of their being used as esculents. Ceropegia edulis, and Ovysfelma esculentum, judg- 

 ing from their names, seem to be such. Sarcostemma (olim Cynanchum) vimenale is really 

 such, the young succulent ramuli yielding a large .quantity of mild, milky, acid jmce, which 

 natives suck to allay thirst, or eat as a sort of sallad : the Gymnema lactiferum is spoken of as 

 the "cow plant of Ceylon," a designation to which, I fear, it is not entitled, as it is my belief, 

 It is neither more nor less than Gymnema sylvestre, in which case its milk-yieldmg capabilities 

 are vastly exaggerated. At the Cape, several species of Stapelia are eat both raw and cooked 

 }y the Hottentots. ' Those of this country are not, so far as I have heard, similarly employed, 

 l>Qt perhaps might be. The taste of one of them, which I tried, is a peculiar bitterish acid, 



■4^ 



