Flora Medica

OXYSTELMA.OXYSTELMA.Corolla somewhat rotate, spreading, with a short tube. Stigmacoverprojecting. Coronet 5-Ieaved ;with acute, compressedundivided leaflets. Anthers terminated by a membrane. Pollenmassescompressed, fixed by the attenuated point, pendulous.Stigma pointless. Follicles smooth. Seeds comose. Wight.1156. O. esculentum RBr. prodr. 318. R. and S.\\. 89.Wight and Am. asclep. 54. comp. Sot. ii.Mag. 52. t. 22.Periploca esculenta Linn, suppl. 168. Roxb. corom. i. 13. 1. 14.Asclepias rosea Roxb.fl.ind. ii. 40. Hedges, among bushes onthe banks of water courses, pools, &c. common on the continentof India.Root fibrous. Stems filiform, round, smooth, green, voluble. Leavesshortly petioled, opposite, linear-lanceolate, acute, rounded and subcordateat the base, entire, smooth, deep green above, paler and veinedbeneath, deciduous ? From 2 to 3 inches long, by about \ an inchbroad. Racemes axillary, long-peduncled, bearing from 3 to 8 large,sub-campanulate, 5-cleft flowers their ; segments triangular, acute, externallyof a pale rosy hue, internally purplish, marked with darkerlines. Column of fructification prominent crown of 5; inflated leaves,broad, and somewhat compressed at the base, tapering to a sharpincurved point. Anthers terminated by a membrane. Pollen-massescompressed, attached by their attenuated apex, pendulous. Stigmalarge, flat, covered on the edges the bymembranous lips of the anthers.Pericarps two large inflated follicles : these consist of two coats orlayers, loosely attached to each other, and it is between these that theinflation takes place, as the inner coat is of a firm texture, and closelyembraces the seeds, which are numerous and comose. Wight. Saidby De Candolle to be eatable but ; Roxburgh says he did not find thatthe natives ever eat it, and Dr. Wight makes the same statement ;adding, however, that in decoction it is used as a gargle for aphthousaffections of the mouth and fauces.545