58 Cll. ASCLEPIADACEZ. ASCLEPIAS. 
IN. Oteanver. Rose Bay-tree. Oleander.—Lws. linear-lanceolate ; sep. squar- 
rose ; corona flat, its segments 3-toothed. Native in S. Europe and the Levant. 
Stem branched. Leaves 3 together, on short stalks, smooth, very entire, coria- 
ceous, with prominent, transverse veins beneath. Flowers terminal, corym- 
bose, large and beautiful, rose-colored. One variety has white flowers, another 
variegated, and a third, double. This splendid shrub is common in Palestine, 
(Rev. S. Hebard !) growing by rivulets, &c. It is commonly supposed by travel- 
ers to be the plant to which the Psalmists alludes, Ps. i. 3, and xxxvii. 35. 
-Orver CII. ASCLEPIADACEA.—Ascrepups. 
Herbs or shrubs, with a milky juice. Lvs. almost constantly opposite, entire, exstipulate. 
Fis. somewhat umbeled, fascicled or racemose. Sep. 5, slightly united, persistent. “ 
Cor. petals 5, united at base, regular, deciduous, 
twisted-imbricate in estivation. 
Sta. 5, inserted into the base of the corolla and alter- 
nate with its segments. 
Fil. connate. Anth. 2-celled, cells sometimes nearly 
divided by partial septa. conga 
Pol. when the anther bursts cohering in masses 
which are as many as the cells, or confluent into 
pairs and adhering to the 5 processes of the 
stigma either by 2s, by 4s or singly. ti 
Ova. 2, styles 2, approximate, often very short. Stig- 
mas united into 1, which is common to both 
styles, and with 5 glandular angles. 
Fr.—Follicles 2; one of them sometimes abortive. 
Sds. numerous, pendulous, almost always comose at 
the hilum. Al in. 
Embryo straight. Cotyledons foliaceous. Radicle 
superior. 
Genera 141, species 910, chiefly natives of tropical 
regions, and especially abundant in S. Africa, S. India 
and New Holland, but are not uncommon in tempe- 
rate regions. 
Properties.—Similar to those of the Apocynaces, 
- but far less active. The juice is acrid and stimulat- 
ing. and generally to be, at least, suspected. A few 
of the species are medicinal, but none of much con- 
sequence. 
FIG. 55.—8. Asclepias cornuti. 9. A flower, the 
petals and sepals reflexed, and the corona erect. 10. 
One of the segments of the corona with the horn bent 
inwardly. . 11. A pair of — masses suspended 
. from the glands at an angle of the antheridium. 12. 
The two ovaries. 13. A mature follicle. 14. A seed 
with it» ‘ong silky coma. 
Conspectus of the Genera. 
t. Segments of th distinct, ere eden 
erec' egments o e corona 5, distinct, ? without horns. . gree le « ° s 
7 Corona leaflets 5, distinct, each 2-lobed. Fls. white. . Enslenia.- 3 
> } Gerona annular, undulate, 0-awned. Fs. sam ag 5 - Gonolobus. 4 
Herbs \ twining and climbing. ( Corona urceolate, 5-cleft, 5-awned. Fis. purp is 
1. ASCLEPIAS. 
The Gr. name, from Esculapius, the fabulous god of medicine and physicians. 
Calyx deeply 5-parted ; cor. deeply 5-parted, valvate in sestivation, 
finally reflexed ; staminal corona 3-leaved, leaflets cucullate, with an 
averted, horn-like process from the base, curved towards the stigma ; 
antheridium (connate mass of anthers) 5-angled, truncate, opening 
by 5 longitudinal fissures; pollinia (masses of pollen) 5 distinct 
pairs, fixed by the attenuated apex, pendulous; follicles 2, ventri- 
. cose ; seeds comose.—% Mostly North American, with opposite, verti- 
cillate, rarely alternate leaves. Umbels between the petioles. 
* Leaves opposite. , 
1. A. cornoti. Decaisne. (A. Syriaca. Linn. and 1st edit.) Common Silk- 
weed.—St. simple; Jlvs. oblong-lanceolate, petiolate, gradually acute, 
tomentose beneath; wmbels nodding; seg. of the corona bidentate; follicles muri- 
cate.—A coarse, very lactescent plant, common by roadsides, and in sandy 
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