152 Asclep{adc(T. \Gymnema. 



with this species, which is, however, very variable. A plant from Maturata 

 has very narrow, slightly hairy leaves, and may be another spec'es. 

 Moon refers Willdenow's Asclepias alexiaca (from Ceylon) to this. Used 

 in native medicine. 



II. SARCOSTEMBIA, .^^. 



Straggling leafless perennial, fl. rather small, cymes axillary, 

 umbellate; cal. small, segm. 5; cor. rotate, lobes very deep, 

 contorted; column somewhat depressed, stam. 5, connate, fil. 

 very short, anth. broad, tip short, inflexed, pollen-masses i in 

 each cell, narrow, pendulous, corona annular, lobed, and with 

 5 large, erect, fleshy, acute processes adnate to and nearly 

 concealing anth.; stigma bluntly conical; follicles linear; seeds 

 comose. — Sp. 5 or 6; 4 in Fl. B. Ind. 



S. Srunonianum, IV. &^ A. Cotitrib. 59 (1834). Muwa- 

 kirlya, S. 



S. viini)inle, Moon Cat. 20 Q Willd.). Thw. Enum. 196. C. P. 1830. 

 Fl. B. Ind. iv. 27 Wight, Ic. t. 1282. Bot. Mag. t. 6002. 



A perennial herb, often semi-shrubby at base, stems very 

 long, slender, cylindrical, jointed, fleshy, glabrous, dark green, 

 scrambling over other plants but scarcely twining, divaricately 

 branched ; 1. none; cymes at the nodes, fl. on short pubcrulous 

 ped.; cal. -segm. acute, pubescent; cor. about ^ in. diam., lobes 

 oblong-oval, obtuse or subacute, margin revolutc ; follicles 

 3^ in., gradually tapering to sharp point, glabrous. 



Low country; very common in the dry and desert region, rarer in the 

 moist districts. Fl. July, August ; pale green. 

 Also in S. India. 

 The juice of the stem is watery and acid to the taste. 



12. CVMNEMA, Br. 



Twining perennials, shrubby at base, cymes umbellate 

 or corymbose, fl. small ; cal. -segm. (almost separate sep.) 5, 

 obtuse ; cor. sub-rotate or urceolate, tube long or short, lobes 5, 

 slightly contorted, corollinc corona of 5 scales or plates in 

 throat or tube of cor. ; stam. 5, connate, anth. with mem- 

 branous tips, pollen-masses i in each cell, erect, pedicellate, 

 not compressed, no staminal corona; stigma large, conical or 

 clavate, exserted ; follicles terete, smooth ; seeds comose. — 

 Sp. 25; 1 5 in /^/. B. Ind. 



