1835.] 



Observations on Mudar. 



73 



The g'eniis Calotropis (Brown) ranges in the section with 

 pendulous pollen masses, and is readily known by having its 

 coronal leaves r^ volute at the base, adhering by the edge 

 their whole length to the filaments, and by its short thick 

 inflated smooth follicles. The plants shrubby, very rarely her- 

 barious, erect, clothed with white pulverulent down. 



C. gigantea. Corolla deeply 5 cleft, segments reflexed, 

 revolute on the margin ; crown leaves shorter than the 

 staminal column, flattened and obtusely 3 lobed at the apex ; 

 flower bud before expansion, ovate, obtuse. 



C. procera. Corolla somewhat bell shaped, 5 cleft, segments 

 pointed, crov/n leaves equaling the staminal column, truncat- 

 ed at the apex ; flower bud before expansion globular. 



The corolla in this species does not become reflexed, nor 

 the segments revolute on the margin as in the former. 



These characters will always, I believe, distinguish the 

 plants separately ; when seen together, they cannot be mis- 

 taken. The much larger, pale coloured, reflexed corolla 

 of the former, with its coronal leaflets shorter than the 

 column, broader in the middle and gradually narrowing 

 tov/ards the flattened apex when compared with the smaller, 

 bright coloured, bell shaped corolla of the latter, with its co- 

 ronal leaflets nearly the same breadth throughout and appear- 

 ing as if cut off square with the apex of the stigma, marks 

 at once the difference. When the flowers are in bud only, the 

 lengthened form of the buds of the former, compared with 

 the globose form of the latter, is equally characteristic. In 

 addition to these more certain marks, the leaves of the latter 

 are broader at the base, having more the true heart shape 

 than the former, in which they sometimes even approach to 

 cuniate, but this is a very uncertain m^ark. 



In the above descriptions, I have not adopted the con- 

 densed style of botanical writings, from a desire to present 

 the subject in a form so familiar as to be readily understood 

 by those who have not made Botany their study, and the 

 accompanying figures will I trust render any further descrip- 

 tion of the plants unnecessary. 



The medical virtues assigned to these plants are very 

 various, and the benefits said to be drived from their use more 

 numerous, than, I fear, we will find it easy to substantiate 



