Order 75. Apocynacece. 1/9 



a plum, pnrple. Earn Ghaut (D.). From H. it seems that it may 

 sometimes be unarmed. 



2. KANWOLFIA. 



J5. serpentina (Ophioxylon s. D.). A shrubby plant, leaves 

 long lanceolate in threes, corolla long tubed, pure white, calyx 

 and pedicels bright red, the double berry ovoid black. Chandra, 

 chotd chdnd. 



The Konkan. Not common. " Few shrubs in the world are more 

 elegant " (Sir W. Jones). The names are due to a belief in the efficacy 

 of the plant against snake bites. 



* R. densiflora (Ophioxylon NilgTierrense, D.). Larger than the last, 

 leaves often in 4's, flowers rosy or white, berry oblique, wrinkled. 

 W. Ghauts (H.). Dr. CooJce says this is the only representative of 

 the order at Mahableshwar. * R. decurva has small leaves crowded at 

 the tips of woody branches, decurved peduncles and small flowers. 

 Konkan, &c. (#.). 



3. YlNCA. 



V. pusilla. A herb, quite smooth with square stem, slightly 

 winged, leaves lanceolate, corolla white with long narrow tube, 

 sepals very narrow, follicles erect. 



The Deccan. Except for the corolla this has all the appearance 

 of a gentian. 



V. major and minor, the periwinkles, very common in gardens at 

 home, and often half wild, are the English representatives of the 

 order j and V. rosea^saddfuljisone of the commonest garden plants in 

 W. India, the flowers very like the periwinkle, but red. 



4. ALSTONIA. 



A. scliolaris. A large handsome tree, leaves in whorls of 5 

 to 7, obovate oblong, narrow at the base, shining, flowers 

 small, greenish- white, hairy in the throat, broad tubed, follicles 

 pendulous, very slender, a foot long. Sdtwin, Shaitdn, Saptd- 

 parni. 



Not uncommon in the Konkan. Extends to the Indian Archi- 

 pelago, Queensland, and tropical Africa (if.). 



Boards cut from this tree are used as slates in schools, henoe the 

 specific name. Natives have a superstitious fear of it (6r.), which 

 accounts for the second of the native names given above. The 

 appearance of the tree is however altogether pleasing. 



5. HOLLARHENA. 



jET. antidysenterica. A tall shrub, leaves oblong or ovate, 

 pale green, flowers rather large in cymes, follicles a foot long, 



N 2 



