332 LV. ASCLEPIADE^. [Galotropis. 



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

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

 way it may be said that €■ gigantea belongs to the moister, G. procera to the 

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

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

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

 Fhelipoea Calotropidis, Walp., a beautunl 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 sUky hair of the seeds is excellent for stuffing pillows and quilts. The 



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

 ides. 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. MAESDENIA, 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 . . . . , t. M. tmctoria. 



Corolla hairy outside ; lobes longer than tube. 

 Corolla-lobes glabrous inside ; appendage of corona lanceo- 

 late, as long as stamens % M. ienacissima. 



Corolla-lobes hu-sute inside ; appendage of corona linear, 



longer than stamens 3. M. Rm/lei. 



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 

 coroUa i . i. M. lucida. 



1. M. tinctoria, E. Br.; Wight Ic. t. 589.— Syn. Asdepias tmctoria, 

 Eoxb. m. 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, -j^ in. long ; pedicels slender, twice the length of flower, in dense 



