332 LV. ASCLEPIADE^R. [Galotropis. 



and Jhelam, ascending to 2400 ft., Oudh, Central India, and the Dekkan. Syria, 

 Arabia, Egypt, Abyssinia, Persia, Afghanistan, and Beluchistan. In a general 

 way it may be said that (J. gigantea belongs to the moister, G. procera to the 

 more dry districts. Often gregarious in dry sandy places. Never quite bare 

 of leaves. Fl. Feb.-May ; fruit ripens in the ensuing cold season. Near this 

 plant, and growing on its roots, is frequently seen, pushing through the sand, 

 jPhelipcea Galotropidis, Walp., a beautiful Orobanchaceous parasite with leafless 

 succulent stems, 2-3 ft. high, terminating in purple flower-spikes. 



Generally a shrub 6-7 ft. high, but in the most arid parts of the Panjab may 

 be seen in close clumps 12-15 ft. high, with stems 12-18 in. girth. In Sindh 

 stems 4-5 ft. girth have been observed (Stewart Pb. PI. 144). Bark \ in. thick, 

 soft, corky, spongy. Wood white and light, charcoal is made from it, the roots 

 are employed as tooth-brushes. In Sindh the bark is stripped off green, and 

 made into halters, lines, and nets. In Arabia a soft rope is made of the fibre. 

 The silky hair of the seeds is excellent for stuffing pillows and quilts. The 

 plant abounds in acrid milk ; mixed with salt, it is used to remove the hair from 

 hides. The dried and powdered root-bark is officinal under the name of Muddr, 

 as an alterative tonic, diaphoretic, and in large doses emetic (Pharm. Ind. 141) ; 

 the supposed active principle has been called Mudarine, a bitter, not crystalline 

 subtance, soluble in water, the solution coagulates when heated, composition 

 unknown. 



4. MARSDENIA, E. Brown. 



Corolla generally campanulate, limb spreading, divided into 5 lobes, 

 contorted in the bud. Corona of 5 appendages, generally flat, sometimes 

 auriculate, adnate to the back of the staminal column, sometimes 10 ap- 

 pendages in 2 rows. Anthers terminating in a membrane, free, or only 

 adhering laterally; pollen-masses 10, erect, in pairs, stipitate. Style ob- 

 tuse or rostrate. 



Appendages of corona in one series, lanceolate or linear, as long 

 as or longer than stamens. Style obtuse, not rostrate. 

 Corolla quite glabrous, except a ring of erect hairs which closes 

 the throat; corolla-lobes shorter than tube ; leaves drying 

 with a blue colour . . . . . . . . 1. M. tinctoria. 



Corolla hairy outside ; lobes longer than tube. 



Corolla-lobes glabrous inside ; appendage of corona lanceo- 

 late, as long as stamens 2. M. tenacissima. 



Corolla-lobes hirsute inside ; appendage of corona linear, 



longer than stamens . . . . . . . 3. M. Roylei. 



Appendages of corona biseriate, the outer fleshy, attached to the 

 base of staminal column, and shorter than anthers, the inner 

 attached half-way up, membranous, obtuse, shorter than an- 

 thers ; style terminating in a long filiform beak, as long as 

 corolla 4. M. lucida. 



1. M. tinctoria, R Br.; Wight Ic. t. 589. Syn. Asdepias tinctoria, 

 Eoxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 43. 



A large twining shrub; branches, petioles and peduncles clothed with 

 short down. Leaves pubescent when young, afterwards glabrate, turning 

 blue when dry, ovate, with rounded or cordate base, acuminate, penni- 

 nerved, blade 4-9 in. long, petioles J-2 in. Flowers numerous, small, 

 yellow, y 1 ^ in. long ; pedicels slender, twice the length of flower, in dense 



