Flora Medica

APOCYNACE^E.1044. Herm. lugdb. 447. t. 448. (Rheede ix. t. 2.) KaravaraAs. res. iv. 265 Common in gardens in every part of India,China and Japan. JBZume.Leaves linear-lanceolate, 3 together. Segments of the calyx erect.Appendages of the corolla filamentous. Anthers bearded at the point.Flowers white or red. The bark of the root and the sweet-smellingleaves are considered by the native Indian doctors as powerful repellents,applied externally. The root taken internally acts as a poison.1 128. N. Oleander Linn, is very acrid. A decoction of its leavesor bark forms an acrid stimulating wash, much employed by poorpeople in the south of France to cure the itch and to destroycutaneous vermin. The peasants in the neighbourhood ofNice use the powdered bark and wood to poison rats.VINCA.Calyx 5-cleft or 5-parted, with straight acute segments.Corolla hypo crateriform ;the tube longer than the calyx;thethroat with 5 plaits;the limb with 5 flat contorted segmentsobliquely truncate at the apex. Filaments dilated at the apexinto concave scales ; anthers membranous, finally twisted. Stigmacapitate, contracted in the middle ;the lower half peltate, theupper capitate. Two glands at the base of the ovary. Follicles2, erect, round. Seeds naked.1129. V. pusilla Murray, comm. gott. 1772. p. 66. t. 2. f. 1.Linn, suppl. 166. V. parviflora Retz. obs. ii. 14-.Roxb.fi. ind.ii. 1. Cultivated grounds in the East Indies.A small erect annual. Stem smooth, 4-sided, branched, 6-12 incheshigh. Leaves short-stalked, lanceolate, smooth ; 2k X J inch ; stipulessubulate. Flowers small, white, axillary,in pairs. Mouth of thecorolla closed with hairs. Applied in India as an external stimulant,in cases of lumbago.RoyleȦPOCYNUM.Calyx half 5-cleft. Corolla campanulate, short, with 5 acuteenclosed teeth opposite its lobes. Anthers sagittate, adheringby the middle to the stigma; their posterior lobes empty ofpollen. Hypogynous scales 5. Ovaries 2. Stigma sessile, dilated,with a conical apex. Follicles slender, distinct.1130. A. androsaemifolium Linn. sp. pi. 311. Bot. mag.t. 280. Bigelow med. bot. ii. t. 36. Sides of fences and bordersof woods in the United States. (Dog's bane.)Height from 3 to 6 feet. Stalk smooth, simple below, branchingrepeatedly at top, red on the side exposed to the sun. Leaves opposite,smooth on both sides, paler beneath, ovate, acute, on shortpetioles. The flowers grow in nodding cymes from the ends of thebranches and axils of the upper leaves, furnished with minute, acutebractes. Calyx 5-cleft, acute, much shorter than the corolla. Corollawhite, tinged with red, monopetalous, campanulate, with 5 acute,-spreading segments. Stamens 5, with very short filaments, and con-534-