THE MILKWEED FAMILY 



83 



underneath. Ovary of two carpels. Fruit two follicles. Seeds with a 

 brush of hairs. 



The Madar {Calotropis gigantea). 



(Kan. Ekka. Mai. Erikku. Tarn. Arkkam. Tel. Arkamu. Hind. Madar. 



San. Arkah.) 



1. The stem and the Leaves abound in milky juice, which 

 protects the plant in many I'espects. It is acrid and poisonous 

 and makes the plant distasteful to cattle. The viscid resin con- 

 tained in it causes it to clot readily so that wounds, through 



Fig. 82. — The Madar (Calotropis gigantea). reduced. 



2. A complete flower. 3. The flower stripped of the corolla showing the 



curved appendages round the seed-vessels. 4. The two seed-vessels, stripped 



of the appendages. 



which it oozes out, are soon shut up, thus preventing germs of 

 decay from entering into the body of the plant. Its bark contains 



