ASCLEPIADE.E. XL. MATELEA. XLI. ASCLEPIAS. 



139 



XL. MATE'LEA (meaning not explained by Aublet). Aubl. 

 guian. 1. p. 277. t. 109. f. 1. R. Br. in mem. wern. soc. 1. p. 

 36. Hostea, Willd. spec. 1. p. 1274. 



Lix. SYST. Pentdndria, Digy'nia. Corolla rotate, 5-parted. 

 Stamineous corona saucer-sbaped, lobed. Anthers dehiscing 

 transversely, terminated by a membrane ; pollen masses fixed by 

 the exterior extremity, in respect to the cells, covering the 

 stigma. Stigma flatten, depressed. Follicles ventricose, ribbed. 

 Seeds naked. Shrub erect. Leaves opposite, biglandular 

 above the base. Flowers racemose, lateral. 



1 M. PALU'STRIS (Aubl. 1. c.) leaves oblong-ovate, acuminated ; 

 racemes simple. Jj . S. Native of Guiana, in marshy places. 

 Hostea viridiflora, Willd. spec. 1. p. 1274. Flowers green. 



Marah Matelea. Shrub 2 to 3 feet. 



2 M. LATIFOLIA (Aubl. 1. c. f. 2.) leaves ovate-oblong; 

 flowers axillary. fj . S. Native of Guiana. Flowers green. 



Broad-leared Matelea. Shrub 1 to 2 feet. 



Cult. For culture and propagation, see Calotropis, p. 147. 



Tribe III. 



ASCLEPIE'.-E. Asclepiadeae verae, part. R. Br. in mem. 

 wern. soc. 1. p. 21. Pollen masses 10, smooth, 2 appertaining 

 to each anther, fixed by pairs to the corpuscles of the stigma by 

 their tops or beneath their tips, pendulous. 



i 1 . Stamineous corona appendicvlate, simple, 5 -leaved ; leaflets 

 opposite the anthers, sub-cucullate, seated on the top of the 

 tube of the filaments, hating 5 small segments, one between 

 each of the larger ones, in the same series. Corolla 5-parted, 

 reflexed. 



XLI. ASCLETIAS (from jEsculapius, the god of medicine ; 

 powerful medicinal effects of some species.) R. Br. in mem. 

 wern. soc. 1. p. 36. Asclepias, spec. Lin. Juss. and others. 



Lix. SYST. Pentdndria, Digynia. Corolla 5-parted, reflexed. 

 Corona seated on the upper part of the tube of the filaments (f. 

 18. a.), 5-leaved ; leaflets cucullate, having a horn- formed 

 process protruding from the bottom. Anthers terminated 

 by a membrane ; pollen masses compressed, fixed by the taper- 

 ing tops, pendulous. Stigma depressed, mutic. Follicles 

 smooth. Seeds comose. Erect, North American herbs. Leaves 

 opposite, verticillate, and sometimes alternate. Umbels inter- 

 petiolar. 



* Leaves opposite. 



1 A. SYRIACA (Lin. spec. 313. Lam. diet. 1. p. 281.) stems 

 simple ; leaves lanceolate-oblong or oval, gradually acute, to- 

 mentose beneath ; umbels drooping. If. . H. Native from New 

 England to Virginia, in fields, and on the banks of rivers, com- 

 mon. Pursh, fl. amer. sept. 1. p. 180. A. Syriaca, /3, Illinensis, 

 Pers. ench. 1. p. 275. A. pubescens, Moench. A. Apocynum, 

 Gat. fl. montaub. p. 48. A. obovata, and A. tomentosa, Elliot, 

 ex Spreng. Blackw. t. 521. Plenck, off. t. 255. Flowers in 

 large, loose umbels, pale purple, sweet scented. The nectaries, 

 or leaflets of the corona, act as fly-traps. Lamarck has given, 

 as the native country of this species Syria and Egypt ; and adds, 

 as a synonyme, the Apocynum erectum laufolium, incanum Syria- 

 cum ; floribus parvis obsolete purpurascentibus, of Tour. inst. 

 p. 91 ; as also a singular variety of the same, the Apocynum 

 majus Syriacum rectum ; caule viridi ; flore axalbido, Tourn. 

 p. 91. 



Syrian Swallow-wort. Clt. 1629. PI. 3 to 5 feet. 



2 A. EXALTA'TA (Lin. araoen. acad. 3. p. 404. spec. 313. 

 Link. enum. 1. p. 251.) stems downy; leaves oblong, acute, pe- 

 tiolate, downy on the nerves beneath ; umbels drooping ? pe- 

 dicels, elongated ; horns of corona elongated. If. . H. Native 



of North America. A. Syrtaca, /3, exaltata, Willd. spec. 1. p. 

 1265. Schultes, syst. 6. p. 69. A. connivens, Baldw. Corolla 

 purplish outside, and white inside. Horns of corona white, in- 

 curved, longer than the corolla. 



Exalted Swallow-wort. FL July, Aug. Clt. 1 800. Shrub 

 2 to 3 feet. 



3 A. PHYTOLACC01DES (Lyon, ex Pursh, fl. amer. sept. 1. p. 

 180.) stems erect, simple ; leaves broad- ovate-oblong, acute, gla- 

 brous, paler beneath ; umbels lateral and terminal, solitary, on 

 long peduncles, drooping. I/ . H. Native of Virginia and 

 Carolina, on the mountains ; as well as on the banks of the Platte 

 and Arkansas. Stem spotted with purple. Leaves large, with 

 a purple midrib. Corolla green ; corona white, with truncate 

 leaflets. Gron. virg. p. 38. 



Phytolacca-like Swallow-wort. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1812. 

 PI. 3 to 4 feet. 



4 A. SPECIOSA (Torrey, in ann. lye. new york, 2. p. 218.) 

 plant clothed with fine tomentum ; leaves ovate, cordate, obtuse, 

 on short petioles ; umbels axillary, and terminal, solitary ; leaf- 

 lets of corona erect, lanceolate, 3 times longer than the gynoste- 

 gium, bluntish, bidentate inside, at the base. >j . H. Native 

 of North America, on the banks of the Canadian river. Flowers 

 twice as large as those of Ascl. Syriaca, pale purple ?. Calycine 

 segments lanceolate, spreading. Segments of corolla oblong, re- 

 flexed, obtuse. Horns of corona short, incurved, compressed. 



Shon-y Swallow-wort. PI. 2 to 3 feet. ? 



5 A. DE'BILIS (Michx. fl. amer. bor. 1. p. 116.) smoothish ; 

 stems weak, erect, simple ; leaves petiolate, oval-lanceolate, 

 acute at both ends, membranous ; umbels terminal and axillary, 

 loose-flowered ; pedicels capillary. If. . H. Native from New 

 York to Carolina ; in shady, rocky situations, near rivulets. 

 Flowers white. Leaves large. The fibres of the stem produce 

 a kind of flax, as all the rest of the species do, but far superior, 

 being of a beautiful silky gloss, and extreme strength. 



Weak Swallow-wort. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1818. PI. 2 ft. 



6 A. PARVIFLORA (Ait. hort. kew. 1. p. 307.) leaves lanceo- 

 late, acuminated, glabrous, attenuated at the base ; umbels late- 

 ral, solitary; stems suffruticose, erect. If. H. Native of 

 Carolina and Florida, in sandy fields. Pursh. fl. amer. sept. 1. 

 p. 180. Jacq. eclpg. t. 28. A. perennis, Wait, fl. carol, p. 107. 

 Flowers small, white. 



Small-floreered Swallow-wort. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1774. 

 PI. 2 to S feet. 



7 A. POLYSTA'CHYA (Walt. fl. car. p. 107.) leaves lanceolate, 

 smooth, petiolate ; stems suffruticose ; umbels lateral and ter- 

 minal. 11. H. Native of Carolina. This plant is not men- 

 tioned by Pursh ; but is probably the same as A. parciflara. 



Many-spiked Swallow-wort. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1825. PI. 

 2 to 3 feet. 



8 A. CCRASSA'VICA (Lin. spec. 

 314.) stem simple, seldom a 

 little branched ; leaves oblong- 

 lanceolate, tapering at both ends, 

 glabrous ; umbels erect, soli- 

 tary, lateral. Jj . S. Native of 

 Curassoa, Essequibo, Cumana, 

 Trinidad, and now found in most 

 parts of tropical America. Meyer, 

 Ess. p. 138. Lodd. bot. cab. 349. 

 Ker. bot. reg. 81. A. bicolor, 

 Monch. Sloan, hist. 2. t. 129. 

 Dill. elth. 34. t. 30. f. 33. 

 Herm. par. t. 36. ? Stem 

 rather downy. Flowers of a 

 reddish -orange colour, or scar- 

 let. Follicles muricated with scattered teeth, ex Lam. The 



T 2 



FIG. 18. 



