APOCYNACEAE ASCLEPI ADACEAE 



695 



The amount of oleander necessary to cause death in horses ranges from 15 to 20 gm. of 

 I preen leaves, and from IS to 30 gm. of dry leaves. This depends on the condition of the animal 

 [at the time the poison is obtained. A full stomach will necessitate more poison. In the case 

 'of cows it is safe to say that from 10 to 20 gm. of green leaves and 15 to 25 gm. of dry leaves 

 'are sufficient to cause death. For sheep the fatal dose of either green or dry leaves is from 1 

 to 5 gm. There is little danger in the bark, roots, or flowers since live stock would hardly 

 obtain sufficient poison in that way. . . 



The general symptoms are increased temperature and pulse, coldness of the extremities, 

 j warm body temperature, dilation of the pupils of the eyes, and discoloration of the mouth and 

 'nostrils followed by sore mouth. The body becomes wet with sweat, due to the exertion caused 

 Jby the powerful heart stimulation. The animal generally refuses to eat or drink during the 24 

 (hours preceding death. This is usually due to soreness of the mouth and throat, making it 

 i painful to masticate and swallow food. The bowels act often and feces are usually greenish 

 iin color. The action of the kidneys is increased slightly and color of urine is normal. There 

 'is little doubt that numerous cases of oleander poisoning have never been brought to light 

 (because of death being attributed to other sources. It is safe to say, however, that many luin- 

 Idreds of animals have been lost in southern Arizona from this shrub. 



ASCLEPIADACEAE. Milkweed Family. 



Perennial herbs, vines, or shrubs, with rrilky juice and opposite or whorled 

 lleaves, entire; flowers in umbels, regular; calyx inferior; corolla bell or urn- 

 ; shaped, rotate or funnel-form, 5-lobed or 5-cleft, the segments generally re- 

 ! flexed; a crown between the corolla and stamens; stamens 5, inserted on the 

 corolla; generally monadelphous ; anthers connivent around the stigma or more 

 ior less united with each other; commonly bearing an erect or inflexed mem- 

 rane; pollen collected in masses, generally 10, known as pollinia ; ovary con- 

 sisting of 2 .carpels, in fruit of 2 follicles; seeds flattened, usually appendaged 

 [by a long tuft of hairs called a coma. 



About 200 genera, and 1800 species, of wide distribution, many members of 

 I the family being weedy: some are medicinal, but few are economic. Several 

 ! plants of the family are cultivated. The Perifloca graeca of the Old World is 

 [an ornamental climber and produces granular pollen in place of pollinia. The 

 \Stapelia, several species of which are cultivated, are natives of the Cape of 

 [Good Hope. They produce flowers of dull purple color with transverse stripes, 

 , exhaling a very disagreeable odor not unlike that of putrid meat. 



The wax plant (Hoya carnosa), is a well known house plant of India, with 

 jrooting stems; thick, fleshy, oval leaves; and flesh colored flowers. The rincc- 

 \toxicuin is a European climber sometimes cultivated in the Eastern States. 

 Several species native from South America are sometimes cultivated for orna- 

 fmental purposes. Some species of the order are used in medicine. The Indian 

 jsarsaparilla (Heuiidesmus indicus) growing in the Indian peninsula and Ceylon, 

 [has a medicinal root which is used as a tonic and diuretic. The root has the 

 [odor of the tonka bean or of sweet clover. The mudar (Calotropis proccra} 

 also a native of India, from Ceylon and the Moluccas, is common in waste 

 ; grounds. The bark contains one bitter principle, mudarin, used as a tonic and 

 ; diaphoretic and in large doses as an emetic. It produces a strong fiber, the 

 silk being exported as "kapok," or tree cotton. The Indian ipecacauanha (Ty- 

 lophora astlimatica) is a climbing perennial of India and Mauritius; anciently 

 much used by the Hindoos in dysentery. The pleurisy-root or butterfly-weed 

 (Asclepias tuberosa) is used as a diuretic and an emetic. A. Curassavica of 

 (the West Indes is a vermifuge. The flowers are said to produce excellent 

 .honey. Generally, however, honey bees are killed by becoming entangled in 

 ; the pollen masses of some of the species of Asclepias. Many other plants of 

 ;the order have an acrid poisonous juice. Two of our common species of milk- 



