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ECHITES SUBERECTA. 
(sUBERECT ECHITES.) 
CLASS. ORDER. 
PENTANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
APOCYNACEiE. 
Generic Character, — Follicles two, long, straight. Seeds pappose. Corolla funnel-sliaped ; throat 
naked. 
Specific Character. — Plant an evergreen twining shrub. Leaves distant, opposite, rather ovate, 
mucronate, downy beneath. Peduncles many-flowered. Corolla salver-shaped, yellow ; segments 
reflexed, equal ; throat of the tube furnished with five inclosed scales. 
Synonyme. — Hcsmadictyon suberecta. 
It is rather surprising that, notwithstanding this plant was introduced to 
Britain so long ago as the year 1 759, it is now scarcely to be met with. The 
length of time that has elapsed since its primary importation, may in some measure 
account for such a circumstance; but we suspect that the intensely poisonous 
nature of its juice has been more influential in suppressing its diffusion. A know- 
ledge of the remarkably energetic properties concealed beneath its extremely 
graceful character, lively foliage, and large, pale-yellow, but interesting flowers, 
induced us to obtain a figure from a specimen which blossomed in the stove of 
Mr. Knight, Chelsea, in September 1839 ; presuming that the drawing and 
description of an elegant plant, whose effects on the animal system are so pecu- 
liarly fatal, could not fail to gratify our readers. 
E. suberecta inhabits the savannas and other exposed places in Jamaica and 
St. Domingo, but is much more common in the former island. It is there called 
Nightshade or Savanna-flower, on account of its deadly poison, and the locality in 
which it abounds. A very noticeable feature in its natural constitution is, that 
while vegetation generally is paralyzed or perishing from drought, it preserves the 
beautiful verdure of its leaves, and even continues to flower in the greatest vigour. 
Travellers assert that when its branches are eaten by dogs and mules, they expire 
