lepta denI a

[Mod. Lat., from pref. lept-, and Gr. adēn =a gland.] Bot .: A genus of Asclepiadacese, tribe Stapeliem. It consists of erect leafle shrubs or twining leafy ones, inhabiting tropical Asia and Africa. Lepta deni a spartium , a small bush growing in the Him a lay as, yields an excellent fiber, not much affected by moisture, for ropes. lěp-tăn'-drin, s . [Eng., ., leptandr ( a ); -in .] Chem.: A peculiar crystalline substance extracted from the root of Leptandra virginica , a North American plant belonging to the Scrophulariacese. It is soluble in water, alcohol, and ether, and from its ethereal solution it may be obtained in needle shaped crystals. It is chiefly employed in American medical practice as a cathartic, and as a substitute for mercury.