ASCLEPIADE,E ( 1vcron. DECAISNE. ). 491 
expansum. Ovaria », placenta suture applicata. Ovula nu- 
merosa regulariter et seriatim imbricata adscendentia v. pen- 
dula, anatropa , lenticularia v. vermiformia , interdum sub- 
peltata , membraná simplice cellulosá, micropyle latiusculo 
apicali. Fructus follicularis ; folliculi 2altero nunc abortiente, 
leves v. spinisinnocuis onusti, pergamacei v. rarissime carnosi, 
ad maturitatem brachiati, refracti arrective. Semina. com- 
pressa, sepius marginata , testá levi v. rugosà , fuscá , opacá, 
suberosá, sepissime ad micropylem comosa ; coma sericea 
alba folliculi verticem spectans rarissime deficiens; perisper- 
mum tenue carnoso-corneum opalinum. Embryo rectus ; co- 
tyledones foliacez ; radicula brevis ; plumula inconspicua. — 
Herba lactescentes perennes , radice interdum bulbosá eduli , 
rarius carnose , aphylle, caule angulato , denticulis acutis 
.Obsito, v. succulente, suffruticuli v. frutices raro nodoso- 
articulati , saepe scandentes foliosi v. aphylli , rarissime arbo- 
res, foliis oppositis ( occasu 3-4-O verticillatis aut alternis ) 
simplicibus, integerrimis, vulgo petiolatis in petiolo v. ad 
limbi ortum non raro glanduliferis , stipulis obscuris lineá 
pilosá transversali reductis. Inflorescentia extra. axillaris ra- 
rius axillaris indefinita , racemiformis, corymbosa, v. sepius 
umbelliformis, pedicellis cum pedunculis basi bracteatis raris- 
sime bibracteolatis. Flores rubri v. aurantiaci lutei albi raris- 
sime cerulei , interdum fastuosi suaveolentes v. odore sterco- 
rario. — Folliculi teneri haud raro in Africá austr. Arabiáque 
edules; plurimarum radix edulis v. emetica ; succus proprius 
albus acer. — Patria presertim zona intertropica; numerose 
tamen, in hemispherá boreali novi continentis ( inter 16-25 
L. B.) did db et Gonolobi, ut in Africá australi ( inter 
30-32» L. A.) Gomphocarpi et Stapelie species obvie, in 
Europá boreali Vincetoxicum usque ad 59? 4o' occurrit. 
Tribus I. PERIPLOCEZE R. Br. TV ern. soc. 1. 
Masse pollinis 5-20 granulose ( granuli 4 sphzrici cruciatim v. 
seriatim compositi ) solitariz usque quaternatim apici dilatato plano 
v. eucullato corpusculi singuli stigmatis affixe ; filamenta superne v. 
omnino libera ; antherz» haud raro dorso barbatz; folliculi divarica- 
tissimi. 
S. 1. dntherg glabra. 
L CRYPTOSTEGIA R. Br. in bot, reg. t. 435. Wight et Arn. contrib, 65. — 
Neriisp. Rozóg. Endl. gen. n. 3431. - 
Calyx 5-partitus ; sepalis elongatis lanceolatis margine undulatis. Co- 
volla campanulato-infuudibuliformis prefloratione sinistrorsum torta ; 
