226 LXXIX. EBENACED. 
4. MABA, Forst. 
Flowers diwcious. Calyx cup-like, either entire semi-3-fid 
or 3-fid. Corolla urceolate or bell-shaped, 3-fid ; lobes twisted 
to the left. Male: Stamens 3-6, sometimes 9- 12, connate 
in pairs, hypogynous, surrounding the abortive ovary; fila- 
ments slender; anthers linear, often apiculate——Female: 
Stamens 0 or 6-7, abortive, on the corolla-tube. Ovary 3- 
celled; cells 2-1-seeded ; stigma 3-parted. Berry ellipsoid, 
rarely globose, smooth, 3-2-celled, not very fleshy — DC. 
Prod. vii. p. 240; Thes. Cap. t. 110. 
Shrubs, often growing near the sea, with alternate, small, subsessile 
leaves and solitary or twin axillary, sessile flowers. Corolla externally 
hairy.— MM. Natalensis, H., is our only species. 
Orper LXXX. ASCLEPIADEA, 
Calyx 5-parted. Corolla 5-lobed, regular, valvate or twisted 
in bud, the throat usually provided with an appendage called 
the corona, which may be tubular or cup-shaped, entire or 
divided into distinct segments in 1 or more series, often adnate 
to the staminal tube, and then apparently an appendage of 
the anthers. Stamens 5, at the base of the corolla-tube, the 
short filaments usually connate in a tube (called gynostege) 
enclosing the pistil; anthers 2-celled, rarely 4-celled, opening 
inwards; pollen coalescing into masses (pollinia) as nume- 
rous as the anther-cells, which are 1—2-celled, pendulous, erect 
or horizontal, and affixed in pairs, in fours or singly to 5 
stigmatic processes (corpuscles) ; rarely pollen in granular 
masses, each grain of 4 granules. Carpels 2; ovules nume- 
rous; styles 2, close together, mostly short; stigma 1, com- 
mon to both styles, dilated. Follicles 2, or 1 by abortion; 
seeds mostly with a tuft of silky hairs at the hilum, albumi- 
nous.—Climbing or erect, shrubby or herbaceous plants, often 
with tuberous roots, and often with milky juices: many are 
leafless, with succulent stems. Leaves opposite, quite entire, 
without stipules. 
Tribe 1. PrErrpLocrm. Pollen-masses 5-20, granular (4 granules to 
each grain), affixed singly or in fours to the dilated apex of each of the 5 
corpuscles of the stigma. Filaments either free or connate. 
Corolla with scales in the throat, alternating with 
the lobes. 
Filaments of the stamens quite free. 
Corolla salver-shaped ; stamens in its base; 
anthers dorsally hairy, with a ee slender, 
plumose crest . . 1. Ecrapium. 
Corolla subrotate or ‘funnel- -shaped ; ; stamens 
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