590 



ORDER 97. ASCLEPIADACE^E. 



setaceous, elongated. Shrub with numerous, slender, straggling branches, very 

 leafy, forming light masses of evergreen foliage, flourishing best beneath the shade 

 of other plants. Leaves 2 to 3' in length, shining, rounded or somewhat cordate 

 at base. Flowers blue, appearing in May and June, f Eur. 



5. NE'RIUM, L. OLEANDER. (Gr. 1'^pof, damp; referring to the 

 locality of the plants.) Calyx with 5 teeth at the base outside of the 

 corolla; corolla liypocrateriform, segments contorted, orifice with a 

 corona consisting of 5, laciniate leaflets ; filaments inserted into the 

 middle of the tube ; anthers sagittate, adhering to the stigma by the 

 middle. Oriental shrubs. Lvs. evergreen, opposite or ternate. 



N. Olednder L. Lvs. lanceolate, acute at each end ; corona segm. of 3 to 

 4 lance-acuminate teeth. In the greenhouse and shrubberies. St. regularly 

 branched. Lvs. commonly 3 together, on short stalks, smooth, very entire, cori- 

 aceous, with prominent, transverse veins beneath. Fls. terminal, corymbcus, 

 large and beautiful rose-colored. One variety has white flowers, another varie- 

 gated, and a third double. This splendid shrub is common in Palestine (Rev. S. 

 Hebard), growing by rivulets, &c. It is supposed to be the plant to which the 

 Psalmist alludes, Ps. i. 3, and xxxvii. 35. 



ORDER XCVII. ASCLEPIADACKE. ASCLEPIADS. 



Plants (chiefly herbs in the United States) with a milky juice, often twining. 



Leaves opposite (rarely whorled or scattered), 

 without stipules, entire. Flowers generally 

 umbellate, 5-parted, regular, the sepals and 

 also the petals united at base, both valvato 

 in aestivation. Stamens united, adherent 

 to and covering the fleshy mass of the two 

 united stigmas. Pollen cohering in masses. 

 Ovaries 2, forming follicles in fruit. 



Genera. 141, species 910, chiefly natives of tropi- 

 cal regions, and especially abundant in S. Africa, 

 8. India and New Holland, but are not uncommon 

 in temperate regions. 



Properties. Similar to those of the Apoeyna- 

 cea; but far less active. The juice is acrid and 

 generally to be, at least, suspected. A few of the 

 species arc medicinal, but none of much conse- 

 quence. 



FIG. 670. 1. Asclepias cormiti. 2. A flower, tho 



rtals and sepals reflexed, and the corona erect. 

 One of the segments of the corona with tho 

 horn bent inwardly. 4. A pair of pollen masses 

 suspended from the glands. 5. A mature follicle. 

 6. Vertical section of P. phytolacoides showing 

 the 2 ovaries. 7. Lobe and horn of the corona. 



TRIBES AND GENERA. 

 1 ^ERIPLOCE^E. Filaments distinct. Pollinia single (not in pairs), granular. (*) 



* Anthers bearded on the back. Pollinia5. Stem twining PERIPLOCA. 1 



JU ASCLEPIADE^E. Filaments connate. Pollinia 10, in pairs, pendulous, vertical, (a) 



a Hoods each sheathing a little horn. Petals reflexed ASCLEPIAS. 2 



i Hoods of the crown destitute of a horn, (b) 



b Petals reflexed. Hoods erect, adnate to tho anthers ACERATKS. 3 



b Petals expanding. Hoods ascending, free from anthers ANANTHEKIX. 4 



b Petals erect. Plant erect. Anther head pedicellate PODOSTIGM.V. 5 



Plants twining. Crown fleshy rctuse SENTEEA. 6 



Plant twining. Crown thin, 2-awncd EXSLE.JA. T 



