Marsdenia.] LV. ASCLEPIADE^:. 333 



umbellate clusters, forming cylindrical, pedunculate, axillary racemes, in- 

 terrupted at the base. Calyx ciliate. Corolla glabrous, save a ring of hairs 

 in the throat, lobes shorter than tube ; appendages of corona lanceolate, 

 as long as stamens. Follicles lanceolate, covered with long soft hairs, 

 reflexed, in racemes of 4-8. 



East Bengal, Sikkim, ascending to 3000 ft. Burma. Banda district (Edgew.) 

 Fl. hot and rainy season. The leaves yield a kind of Indigo. 



2. M. tenacissima, Wight et Am. ; Wight Ic. t. 590. Syn. Asdepias 

 tenacissima, Eoxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 51 ; Cor. PI. t. 240. 



A large twining shrub ; branches, leaves and inflorescence soft-tomen- 

 tose. Leaves cordate, acuminate, 4-6 in. long and 3-4 in. broad, petiole 

 2-4 in. long, basal nerves 3-5. Flowers greenish-yellow, J in. long, on 

 slender pedicels, somewhat longer than flowers, in axillary drooping 

 pedunculate compound cymes. Calyx and corolla hairy outside ; corolla- 

 lobes longer than tube, glabrous inside. Appendages of corona lanceolate, 

 as long as stamens. Follicles ovate-lanceolate, 4-6 in. long, downy. 



Behar, Baraitch forests of Oudh, Kamaon, ascending to 4500 ft. Banda 

 district. Ceylon. Fl. April ; fr. in the ensuing cold season. The bark of young 

 luxuriant shoots yields a large quantity of beautiful fine silky fibre, with which 

 the mountaineers of Rajmahal make their bow-strings, on account of its great 

 strength and durability. The following comparative experiments are recorded 

 by Koxburgh : 



A line of common hemp broke with 158 lb. when dry, and 190 lb. when wet. 

 Boehmeria tenacissima 240 278 



Marsd. tenacissima 248 343 



A milky juice exudes from wounds, thickening into an elastic substance very 

 much like caoutchouc, which rubs out black pencil-marks. 



3. M. Roylei, Wight. Vern. Pathor, Chenab; Tar, veri, Salt range; 

 MurJdla, Kamaon. 



A large twining shrub ; branches, under side of leaves, and inflorescence 

 soft-tomentose. Leaves ovate from cordate base, acuminate, 3-5 in. long, 

 petiole 1-2 in. Flowers orange, J in. long, in compact, rounded, peduncu- 

 late axillary cymes. Calyx hairy outside ; corolla-lobes longer than tube, 

 hirsute inside. Appendages of corona linear, longer than stamens. 



Salt range, Panjab, and outer ranges of N.W. Himalaya, ascending to 7000 

 ft. Simla, Mussoori, Kamaon. Fl. May, June. The fibre is made into fishing- 

 lines. 



4. M. lucida, Edgew. MS. in Hb. Kew ; Madden in Journ. As. Soc. 

 xvii. pt. i. 370. Vern. Dudhi, Kamaon. 



A large evergreen climber ; glabrous, only extremities and inflorescence 

 pubescent. Leaves ovate, pale beneath, penniveined, 4-5 in. long, petiole 

 1-1 J in. Flowers purple, sweet-scented, J-J in. long, on pedicels some- 

 what longer than flower, in short-pedunculate umbelliform cymes. Calyx 

 hairy outside, corolla-lobes longer than tube, hairy. Appendages of cor- 



