CXLV. ASCLEPIADE.&. 



551 



ovaries of many genera. They are connected with Rubiaceee through Loganiacea. They are allied to 

 Oleinea by their woody stem, opposite leaves, aestivation and hypogynous corolla, and by their genera 

 with a 2-celled ovary, single style, anatropous ovule, dry or fleshy fruit, and albuminous embryo ; but the 

 Oleinece have an anisostemonous corolla. 



ApocynecB principally inhabit the intertropical zone of the Old and New Worlds, especially Asia 

 beyond the equator. They are [comparatively] rare in extra-tropical hot and temperate regions. Most of 

 the species possess a milky juice, often rich in india-rubber (Collophora utilis) ; this juice is sometimes 

 bitter and employed as a purgative or febrifuge, or depurative (Allamanda cathartica, Carissa xylojncron, 

 Plumiera alba) ; sometimes acrid and very poisonous ( Tanghinia vemniflua, Cerbera Ahoitai) ; sometimes 

 mild, scarcely bitter, and simply laxative (Cerbera salutaris) ; finally, sometimes acid-sweet or unctuous, 

 and much sought as food ( Carissa Carandas, C. edulis, Carpodinus dulcis, Ambelania Pacouna, Couma, 

 Tabemcemontana utilis, &c.). [Other india-rubber yielding genera are Willughbeia in India, Vahea in 

 Madagascar, Hancomia in Brazil, Urceola in the Malay Peninsula, and Landolphia in West Africa. Tan- 

 ghinia, the Ordeal-tree of Madagascar, is the most poisonous of plants, a seed no larger than an almond 

 suffices to kill twenty people. Oleander wood, flowers, and leaves are very poisonous ; death has followed 

 using its wood as meat-skewers ; an infusion of its leaves is an active insecticide, and its bark a rat- 

 poison ; that of Wrightia antidysentenca is a valuable Indian astringent and febrifuge. W. tinctona 

 leaves yield an indigo, and W. tomentosa a yellow dye. Edible fruits are produced by Willughbeia edulis 

 and Urceola elastica. The wood of Alstonia scholaris is a bitter powerful tonic, much used in India. ED.] 



CXLV. ASCLEPIADE^E. 



(APOCYNEARUM pars, A.-L. de Jussieu. ASCLEPIADE^E, Jacquin. 

 ASCLEPIADACE^E, Lindl.) 



COROLLA hypogynous, regular, 5-fid, isostemonous, aestivation usually contorted. 

 STAMENS inserted on the corolla,, usually cohering in a tube ; ANTHERS introrse, 2-4- 

 celled ; POLLEN agglutinated in as many masses as there are cells. CARPELS 2 ; OVARIES 

 distinct ; STYLES juxtaposed, united by a common stigma ; OVULES pendulous, anatro- 

 pous. FRUIT follicular. EMBRYO albuminous. LEAVES opposite. JUICE milky. 



Woody, rarely herbaceous PLANTS, usually climbing and milky ; stem and branches 



Asclepias. 

 Flower (mag.). 



Asclepiai. 



Diagram, showing the relation of the 

 appendages to the anthers, and that 

 of the anthers to the stigmatic cor- 

 pusculee. 



Asclepiai. 



P.'stil bearing pollen- 

 masses (mag.). 



Atclepiat. 

 Stamen furnished 



with its 

 appendages (mag.). 



