N. O. ASCLEPIADEiE. 809 



Habitat: — Baluchistan, Trans-Indus, Salt Range, Outer Hima- 

 laya to the Chenab ; Merwara. 



An erect branching shrub with milky juice, leafless or nearly 

 so. Stems many, as thick as a goose-quill or less, smooth or 

 with pubescent tips. Leaves (when present) i in long, thick, 

 ovate or oblong, acute, nerves inconspicuous. Cymes many- 

 flowered, often opposite, J-l in. long and broad, on short thick 

 peduncles or branching from the base ; bracts ovate-oblong, 

 caducous from above the base. Flowers fragrant. Calyx 

 glabrous, i in. long ; lobes ovate-oblong, obtuse. Coralla gre- 

 enish and glabrous outside, purple within ; lobes reflexed, i in. 

 long, oblong, obtuse, densely bearded inside towards the apex. 

 Corona-lobes t i in. long, transversely oblong at the base, each 

 terminating in a long filiform process with a recurved apex. 

 Stamens with glabrous filaments. Follicles on short thick 

 peduncles, widely divaricate, 3-7 in. long, woody, terete taper- 

 ing to a point. Seeds \ in. long, coma 1 in. long. (Duthie). 



Use : — The milky juice is used in Sind as an external 

 application to tumors and swellings (Murray). 



770. Secamone emetica, Br. h.f.b.i., iv. 13. 



Vera. : — Shada-buri (B.). 



Habitat : — Mountains of the South Deccan Peninsula. 



A diffuse, semi-shrubby, perennial herb. Stems numerous, 

 slightly twining, slender, wiry, glabrous, cylindric, much thick- 

 ened at nodes.' Leaves 2-2 Jin., linear-lanceolate or linear, acute 

 at base, tapering and very acute at apex, glabrous. Petioles 

 short, slender, 1J-3 by f--§in., rather glaucous beneath, nerves 

 faint (J. D. Hooker). Flowers yellow, on slender, pubescent 

 pedicels. Cymes stalked, lax, dichotomous, bracts small, woolly 

 pubescent. Calyx pubescent, segments ciliolate. Corolla under 

 i'm. diam., lobes oblong-oval, obtuse. Follicles 2-3in., much 

 acuminate, smooth. 



Use : — Regarded by natives as possessing powerfully emetic 

 properties (Ph. Ind.). 



771. Oxystelma esculentum, Br. h.f.b.i., iv. 17 

 Syn. : — Asclepias rosea, Eoxb. 254. 



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