208 



rium snperior, 2-celled; style continuous ; stigma simple. Fruit either capsular and 2-ceDed 

 with placenta finally becoming loose; or drupaceous, with 1- or 2-seeded stones. Seeds pel- 

 tate, wit h a finely reticulated integument, sometimes winged ; albumen fleshy or cartilaginous ; 

 embryo with the radicle turned towards the hilum.— Shrubs, herbaceous plants, or trees, heaves 

 opposite, entire, usually with stipula which are combined in the form of interpetiolary sheaths. 

 Flowers racemose, corymbose, or solitary. 



Affinities. It is not clear, from the remarks upon Logania by Mr. Brown 

 in his Prodromus, whether he intended to establish this order or not. He 

 states that he has placed Logania at the end of Gentianea;, on account of some 

 affinity between it and Exacum and Mitrasacme, and also because it does not 

 answer ill to the artificial character of that order ; adding that it, however, 

 might have a still closer connexion with Apocynese and with Usteria among 

 Rubiaceee (Cinchonacese.) He further points out the close relation of Genios- 

 toma to Logania, and concludes by inquiring whether those 2 genera do not, 

 with Anasser, Fagreea, and Usteria, form an order intermediate between Apo- 

 cyneae and Rubiacese. This view has been adopted by Von Martius, with 

 the exception of Fagraa, which he places among his Potalieae ; he founds the 

 distinction of the order upon the want of symmetry between the parts of the 

 calyx, corolla, and stamens, upon the aestivation of the corolla being convolute> 

 not contorted, and in the presence of stipulee combined in interpetiolary sheaths. 



Geography. Found in tropical India and Africa, and in the temperate 

 parts of New Holland. 



Properties. Unknown. 



Examples. Lo°;ania, Gcertneria, Pagamea. 



CXCV. ASCLEPIADEiE. 



Apocyneje, Juss. Gen. 143.(1789) in part; Dec. and Duby Bot. Gall. 323. (1828).— Asclepia- 

 deje, R. Brownin Wern. Trans. 1. 12. (1809) ; Prodr. 458. (1810.) 



Diagnosis. Monopetalous dicotyledons, with a superior double ovarium, 

 the apex of which is connected by a common tabular dilated stigma, regular 

 fiowers, waxy pollen, and contorted corolla. 



Anomalies. Periploca and some others have granular pollen. Corolla 

 vilvate in Leptadenia. 



Essential Character. — Calyx 5-dividcd, persistent. Corolla monopetalous, hypogynons, 

 5-lobed, regular, with imbricated, very seldom valvular, aestivation, deciduous. Stamens 5 

 inserted into the base of the corolla, alternate with the segments of the limb. Filaments 

 usually connate. Anthers 2-celled, sometimes almost 4-cellcd in consequence of their disse- 

 piments being nearly complete. Pollen at the period of the dehiscence of the anther cohe- 

 ring in masses, cither equal to the number of the cells, or occasionally cohering in pairs and 

 svicking to 5 processes of" the stigma either by twos, or fours, or singly. Ovaria 2. Styles 2, 

 closely approaching each other, often very short. Stigma common to both styles, dilated, 

 5-cornered, with corpusculiferous angles. Follicles 2, 1 of which is sometimes abortive. Pla- 

 centa attached to the suture, finally separating. Seeds numerous, imbricated, pendulous, 

 almost always comose at the hilum. Albumen thin. Embryo straight. Cotyledons foliace- 

 ous. Radicle superior. Plumida inconspicuous. — Shrubs, or occasionally herbaceous plants, 

 almost always milky, and often twining. Lcarcs entire, opposite, sometimes alternate, or 

 ■whorled, having cilia; between their petioles in lieu of stipulaj. Flowers somewhat umbelled, 

 fascicled, or racemose, proceeding from between the petioles. R. Br. 



Affinities. So closely are these plants allied to Apocynese, that the affi- 

 nities of the one are precisely the same as those of the other ; I shall there- 

 fore, in this place, speak of the difference between those two orders, and of the 

 peculiarities of that more immediately under consideration. Mr. Brown, who 

 distinguishes them, admits (Flinders, 564) that they differ solely in the pecu- 



