Flora Medica

APOCYNUM.nivent, oblong arrow-shaped anthers, cohering with the stigma abouttheir middle, and often holding fast such insects as may thrust theirproboscis between them. The nectary consists of 5 oblong glandularbodies, alternating with the stamens. Ovaries 2, ovate, concealed bythe anthers. Stigma thick, roundish, agglutinated to the anthers.The fruit is a pair of slender linear-lanceolate follicles, containingnumerous imbricated seeds, each crowned with a long pappus or down,and attached to a slender central receptacle. Every part lactescent.Root with an unpleasant intensely bitter taste ;acts as an emetic whenrecent. In small doses is a useful tonic.1131. A. cannabinum Linn, is also emetic; and in decoctiondiuretic and diaphoretic.WRIGHTIA.Corolla hypocrateriform; the throat surmounted by 10 laceratedscales. Stamens projecting, inserted in the throat ;antherssagittate, adhering by the middle to the stigma. Hypogynousscales 0. Ovaries 2, adhering ;style filiform, dilated at theapex;stigma narrower. Follicles distinct or united. Thereare from 5 to 10 scales at the base of the calyx, on the outsideof the corolla.1132. W. antidysenterica R. Brown trans. Wern. soc. i. p. 74.Nerium antidysentericum Linn, sp.pl.ii. 306. Echites antidysentericaRoxb. (Burm. Zeyl. 167. t. 77.) Coast of Malabar,Ceylon, and elsewhere in India ;Isle of France.A small shrub. Leaves ovate-oblong, or exactly oblong, shortlyacuminate, smooth, bright green on each side. Corymb terminal, fewflowered.Corolla hypocrateriform, white, very sweet-scented, with aslender tube J of an inch long; limb spreading, flat, about the samelength, with obovate segments. Follicles very long and slender.The bark is called Ccnessi in commerce, and has been introduced intoEuropean practice on account of its astringent febrifugal qualities.ICHNOCARPUS.Corolla hypocrateriform, with the segments of the limb falcate ;the throat without appendages. Stamens enclosed ;antherssagittate, with the posterior lobes empty of pollen. Scales 5,hypogynous, filiform. Ovaries 2 ; style 1, filiform ; stigma ovate,acuminate. Follicles slender.1133. I. frutescens RBr. in Wern. soc. trans, vol. iApocynumfrutescens Linn. fl. zeyl 114. R. and S.'vf. 398.(Burm. thes. zeyl. 23. t. 12. f. 1.) Ceylon.Stems woody, smooth. Leaves short-stalked, oblong, acute, broad,smooth, veiny, dark green above, paler beneath. Peduncles axillary,long; pedicels shorter, fasciculate. Flowers small, tubular, 5-cleft,purple. Calyxes 5-cleft, oblong. Sometimes used in India as a substitutefor Sarsaparilla, according; to Professor Royle. It appears froma quotationin R. and S. that it is also mentioned as a medicinal plantby Afzelius, in his Remedia guineensia, a work to which I have notaccess.535 M M 4