CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 351 



into a head, either of a smooth surface, or echinated 

 after the manner of Xanthium. Their calyces are 

 divided into five segments, their flowers like those of 

 the precedent kind, but less ; their leaves either entire, 

 only nicked in the edges, resembling the leaves of horn- 

 beam, elm, or mulberry, or divided less or more deeply 

 into lobes. Those of the second kind, or Indian Mallows, 

 which he calls by the name of Alth<e<e, bring forth seeds, 

 either angulose or round, in vessels divided into five cells, 

 more or fewer, of different form and magnitude, having 

 malvaceous flowers and calyces, leaves alternately situate, 

 some whole, some divided into lobes, some deeply 

 laciniatfcfl. 



Another remark he gives us concerning the plants 

 called by the distinct names of Apocyna, or Dogsbane, 

 Asclepiases, or Swallow-worts, and Neria, or Rosebays, 

 which three he reduces to one kind : the characteristic 

 whereof he makes Siliqua, or cods of one piece, opening 

 longways, and containing seeds piled one upon another 

 imbricatim, each having a long appendant filament of 

 down. For, whereas some make the difference between 

 these to be, that the Swallow- worts have single cods suc- 

 ceeding each flower, but the Dogsbanes and Nerias, or 

 Rosebays, double, and that the Neria are shrubby, or 

 arborescent plants, containing a limpid, or yellowish 

 juice, whereas the Apocyna yield a milk. He shows that 

 these notes are not proper to one kind, but agree pro- 

 miscuously to all the rest ; for sometimes the Swallow- 

 worts bear single cods (he might have said always, 

 according to the intention of nature), and on times 

 solitary or single. Neither doth Neria only grow up to 

 the magnitude and stature of a tree, or contain a limpid 

 yellow juice, but also some sorts of Apocyna. Neither 

 doth Swallow- wort only yield a limpid watery juice, but 

 [some] sorts of Apocyna also. Besides, though this juice 

 in Swallow-wort be limpid in the beginning of summer, 

 yet towards autumn it grows thick and m . . . , as 

 Fab. Columna hath observed. Of these Apocyna, which 



