302 LXXV. APOCYNE^. 



segments or sepals iiiibvicate in the bud, bearing occasionally small glauJsor 

 scales inside at the base. Corolla regular, with 5 spreading lobes, contorted- 

 imbricate or rarely valvate in the bud, the throat sometimes closed with a 

 corona of scales, and frequently hairy. Stamens 5, inserted in the tube, 

 alternatiner with the corolla-lobes ; anthers erect, turned inwards, S-oelled, 

 tlie cells opening in longitudinal slits, either free and enclosed in a part of 

 the tube usually swollen, or sometimes exserted and connate or connivent jn 

 a cone or ring round the style ; the pollen not collected in masses but the 

 auricles at the base of the anthers or the tips occasionally without pollen. 

 Ovary of 2 carpels usually distinct, sometimes united in a 2-celled ovary with 

 a^ile placentas or in a 1-celled ovary with 2 parietal placentas ; ovules several, 

 few or numerous in 2 or more rows. Style sinde or styles 2, distinct at the 

 base but united upwards ; stigma usually thickened, mitriform membranous 

 or bulbous at the base, terminating in a short entire or bifid point. Fruit 

 either a single drupe or berry, or more frequently each carpel forms a follicle 

 opening along the inner edge or a drupe or berry. Seeds pendulous or rarely 

 ascending or peltately attached, often bearing a coma or tuft of long hairs, 

 usually albuminous ; embryo straight, with flat or rarely convolute cotyle- 

 dons. — Trees shrubs or twiners or very rarely perennial herbs, the juice fre- 

 quently milky. Leaves opposite or whorled, very rarely alternate, entire, 

 without any "or w^ith small almost gland-like intrnpetiolar or interpetiolar 

 stipules. Flowers usually cymose, on simple or compound and paniculate 

 peduncles, axillary or terminal. Bracts at the base of the branches of the 

 inflorescence and of the pedicels usually very small, rarely larger, coloured 

 and deciduous ; bracteoles on the pedicels none or very rare and small. 



. The Order is abundantly represented in the tropical and subtropical regions of ^he ||*«* 

 and the Old Worhl, with a very few species in the more temperate districts of the nonnera 

 and southern hemispheres, hut does not extend to arctic or high alpine regions. Ut i 

 twelve Anstrahan genera, none are perhaps absolutely endemic, one {Li/onsia), ^^^"^^f.^^ 

 merous in endemic species, extends probably to New Caledonia, another {Ochrosta] "" 

 tlie Mauritius to the islands of the Pacific, the others are all Asiatic, two of them ^x^^^^J 

 to Africa, and one of them to tropical America. The Order is closely allied to AsclefU^^^ . 

 differiTig chiefly in the indefinite free pollen-granules. 



Anthers wholly iuckded in the corolla-tube, and usually free. 

 Ovary single, the carpels completely united from the base. 

 Ovary 1-celled with 2 parietal placentas. Tall woody 



climbers. Fruit a berry. Seeds albuminous .... 1- Ciulocabpis. 

 Ovary 2-eelled with axile placentas. Fruit a berry or drupe. 

 Throat of the corolla with a corona of scales sometimes 



united in a ring. Tall woody climbers ..... 2. MelodiXI^^. 

 No corona. Erect trees or shrubs, often spinous ... 3. Carissa. 

 Ovary of 2 distinct carpels united only by the whole or the 

 summit of the style. 



Ovules few (4 to 6 in each carpel). Pruit of 1 or 2 inde- 

 hi-ceut drupes or berries. Mostly trees or shrubs. 

 Placentas almost dividing each carpel into 2 cells. Leaves 

 long alternate or crowded. Bracts large, deciduous. 

 Plowers large 4. CehbeRA. 



Placentas scarcely prominent. Leaves mo'stly whorled'. 

 Bracts small. 



Drapes small, 1 -seeded or of 2 or more 1-seeded arti- 

 cles, the endocarp not thick 5, AtTXTA. 



