Spherocodon. | LXXXV. ASCLEPIADEZ (BROWN). 413: 
quite glabrous on both sides, blackish-violet or blackish-purple ; united 
part (which scarcely forms a tube) % lin. long; lobes 1} lin. long, 
1 lin. broad, ascending, ovate-oblong, obtuse. Coronal-lobes arising 
from the middle of the filamental part of the staminal-column,, 
4 lin. long, compressed, incurved-erect, acute, somewhat resembling 
the curved prickles of a rose. Staminal-column } lin. long, of which 
1 lin. belongs to the blackish-purple filament-part ; anthers erect, 
oblong, obtuse, with very narrow membranous sides to the upper part, 
but no terminal appendage. Style not exceeding the anthers, 
truncate or slightly depressed in the centre at the apex. 
Lower Guinea. Angola: Amboella; by the River Quito, below the River 
Longa, 3700 ft,, Baum, 526! 
37. GYMNEMA, R. Br.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. ui. 769. 
Calyx 5-partite. Corolla 5-lobed to the middle or beyond; tube: 
campanulate; lobes ascending or spreading, overlapping to the left in 
bud. Corona arising from and adnate to the corolla-tube, either of 5 
fleshy lobes adnate up to the mouth of the corolla-tube, with more or 
less incurved tips, or of 5 pairs of fleshy ridges on the lower part of the 
tube, alternating with the corolla-lobes, densely ciliate (always ?). 
Staminal-column arising from the base of the corolla. Anthers short, 
erect, with short membranous appendages. Pollen-masses_ erect, 
solitary in each anther-cell. Style often produced beyond the anthers. 
Follicles smooth. Seeds crowned with a tuft of hairs.—Twining 
shrubs, with opposite leaves. Umbels sublateral, often opposite. 
Flowers small. 
Species several, distributed through the tropical and subtropical regions of the 
Old World ; only one species that certainly belongs to this genus is known from 
Tropical Africa. Of the three others recorded, one is Marsdenia Schimperi, Decne. ;. 
another is probably a Secamone ; and the third does not belong to the order, 
1. G. sylvestre, FR. Br. in Mem. Wern. Soc. i. 38. Stem 
climbing, woody, 1-14 lin. thick, shortly tomentose, as are also the 
petioles, peduncles, bracts, pedicels and calyx. Leaves spreading;. 
petiole 3-10 lin. long; blade 3-3 in. long, 4-1} in. broad, ovate, 
elliptic, elliptic-ovate, or lanceolate-ovate, acute or shortly and rather 
abruptly acuminate, varying from shortly and broadly cuneate to 
rounded or cordate at the base, glabrous or pubescent (usually sparsely 
so) above, undersurface varying through all stages from glabrous to 
softly and densely pubescent. Umbels opposite, subaxillary, peduncu- 
late or sessile, rather densely many-flowered ; peduncles 1-5 lin. long, 
sometimes producing successive umbels or whorls of flowers; pedicels 
1-3 lin. long. Sepals 1 lin. long, elliptic-oblong, very obtuse, ciliate. 
Corolla 2 lin. in diam., glabrous; tube campanulate, }-1 lin. long; 
lobes spreading-recurved, about as long as. the tube, oblong-ovate, 
obtuse, fleshy, minutely ciliate, yellowish-white. Coronal-lobes fleshy,. 
channelled down the face, inserted on and adnate to the corolla-tube,. 
