90. ASCLEPIDACEM. [7. Oxystelma. 



bases elegantly curved, dorsally pubescent, their apices with two little spurs or 

 tubercles. Top of column 5-angIed, corpuscle small black at the angles. 



Yields the well-known Madar fibre derived from the bast. The floss (coma of 

 the seeds) is also sometimes spun but is used more for stuffing like other silk- 

 cottons. It was at one time experimentally cultivated in Chota Nagpur (Watt, 

 D.E.P., ii, p. 42). Various medicinal virtues are ascribed to the juice. The Kols 

 use it as a drastic purgative and fever medicine, but they prefer the Euphorbia. 

 The Santals " give a decoction of the root in infantile convulsions and delirium 

 during fever," Campbell. Mahouts use the leaves as warm fomentations in treating 

 abscesses on elephants. Nadkarni says that the root-bark and inspissated juice 

 are alterative, tonic, diaphoretic and in large doses emetic, and gives other uses in 

 various diseases. 



2. C. procera, Br. Vern. names as in last. 



A shrub much resembling the last but not usually over 4 ft. high. 

 L. oblong cordate, usually suddenly often sharply acute or sub-mucro- 

 nate, old glabrous both sides. Peduncles often paired in the axils, 

 1-3" long, tomentose, often branched. Fls. about -5" diam. having 

 the lobes erect 'S" long acute, white with purple blotch on the 

 upper half. Coronal processes with a purple obtuse muticous tip and 

 fleshy upturned white base. Ripe follicles 3" by Vo", (4-5", F.B.I.) 

 recurved somewhat sausage-shaped, outer and inner coats (as in the 

 last) with fibrous tissue between. Seeds obovate •25". 



Generally distributed, in similar places to the last, but less common. Fl., Fr. 

 most of the year. 



The uses are apparently the same as it is often confounded with the last. (As 

 regards its fibre see Iiid. For., Sept.. 1897, p. 341.) I understand that the juice 

 of these plants is not taken internally by the Urans for fever, and one sometimes 

 sees Urans with large scars over the side due to the external application of the 

 leaves for fever and spleen. They are said to produce large blisters. 



3. C. acia, Hamilt. 



A stout herb or undershrub 2-3 ft. high with glabrous oblong, 

 obovate or oblanceolate leaves 6-8" long, narrowed into a petiole 

 ■3-1" long. The flowers are much as in C. procera, coronal processes 

 2-lobed. 



In forest and grass lands. Bettiah ! Northern Purneah ! Fl., Fr. April-June. 



6. ASCLEPIAS, L. 



Erect herbs with opposite, alternate or whorled leaves and small 

 or mod.-sized flowers in umbelliform cymes. Sep. glandular within. 

 Corolla rotate, lobes often reflexed, valvate. Corona staminal of 5 

 erect spoon-shaped processes, anther-tips inflexed, membranoiis, 

 pollinia 1 in each cell, waxy, pendulous, flattened. Stigma depressed, 

 5-angled. Follicles turgid, beaked. 



1. A. curassavica, L. Blood flower. 



About 2 ft. high with lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate glabrous or somewhat 

 pubescent leaves 2-3" long and many-flowered umbels of orange or scarlet 

 moderate-sized flowers with reflexed corolla and 5 erect spoon-shaped coronal 

 processes adnate to the stipitate column. Follicles inflated. 



Native of the West Indies. Often found in gardens and villages and very pretty 

 when in flower. 



7. OXYSTELMA, Br. 



Twining herbs or undershrubs with narrow leaves, sometimes 

 deciduous. Fls. large in lax umbelliform cymes with filiform pedicels. 



551 



