158 LXXXIIl. ASCLEriADACE.^. 



usually with a rounded stipule-like leaf in the axil of each. Elowers in 

 umbellate pedunculate glabrous cymes ; peduncles i-^ in. long, arising 

 from between the petioles ; pedicels jq— ^ in. long. Calyx divided to 

 the base ; sepals Jjj in. long, lanceolate, acute, ciliate. Corolla divided 

 almost to the base; lobes ^ in. long, oblong, subacute ; corona arising 

 from the very base of the staminal-column, about as long as the corolla, 

 tubular, plicate, membranous, with 5 distant linear-lanceolate lobes 

 about yV in. long on the margin and small teeth between the lobes. 

 JS^aminal-column arising from the base of the corolla ; pollen-masses 

 small, oblong, attached to the pollen-cai^riers by distinct caudieles. Style- 

 apex rounded, a little exserted beyond the membranous anther-tips. 

 Follicles2-2| in. long, lanceolate. Seeds | by ^ in., broadly o\ ate, flattened, 

 margined, glabrous, brown ; coma 1-1| in. long. Fl. B. I. v. 4, p. 23; 

 Grab. Cat. p. 121 ; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 14S ; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 3, p. 151 ; 

 Talb. Trees, Bomb. ed. 2, p. 235 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat, v. 12 

 (1898) p. 167 ; Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 2, p. 678.— Flowers : Oct.- 

 Feb. 



Deccan : Jiinnar, Woodrow ; Musi near Poona, Bahell cf- Gihson. S. M. Country : 

 about Dliarwiir, Law ex Graham ; Belgaum, Ritchie ! ; Castlerock, Cooke ! — Distrib. 

 India (W. Peninsula); Ceylon. 



13. SARCOSTEMMA, E. Br. 



Leafless trailing or twining jointed shrubs with pendulous brunches. 

 Flowers small, in sessile umbels which are terminal or lateral from the 

 nodes. Calyx 5-partite. Corolla rotate or subcampanulate, deeply 

 divided; lobes 5, overlapping to the right in bud; corona double, arising 

 from the staminal-column, the outer annuhir or cup-shaped, often penta- 

 gonal, truncate or shortly lobed, the inner corona of 5 erect fleshy 

 compressed or keeled lobes with their basal part embraced by the outer 

 corona. Staminal-column arising from the base of the corolla ; anthers 

 with membranous iuflexed or suberect appendages ; pollen-masses pen- 

 dulous, 1 in each cell, attached in ])airs by short or long slender caudieles 

 to the pollen-carriers. Style-apex shortly conical or oblong-fusiform, 

 included or exserted. Follicles smooth. Seeds comose. — Distrib. 

 Tropical Asia, Africa, and Australia ; species 5 or 6. 



Umbels terminal ; style-iipex short, conical, not exserted. 



Follicles ta])ering to both ends, slightly divergent 1. -S. brrviyfii/ma. 



Follicles straight, rod-like, not tapering towards the base 



and but little towards the apex, mucli divaricate 2. S. StocAsii. 



Umbels terminal and lateral ; style-apex oblong, fusiform, 



much exserted - 3. S. intermedium. 



1. Sarcostemma brevistigma, Wy/Jit, Contrib. (1834) p. 59. 

 Stems g— |- in. in diam., green, glabrous ; joints 4-8 in. long. Flowers 

 in sessile many-flowered terminal umbels ; pedicels •]— ■!■ in. long, slender, 

 pubescent ; bracts minute, lanceolate. Calyx divided to the base or 

 nearly so, with glands inside ; segments ^V i'^- long, ovate-oblong, sub- 

 acute, with membranous margins. Corolla campanulate, pale greenish- 

 white, divided nearly to the base; lobes i in. long, o\ate-oblong, sub- 

 acute; outer corona crenately lO-lobed on the margin; lobes of the 

 inner corona thick, fleshy, obtuse, longer than the staminal-column, 

 almost concealing the anthers. Staminal-cohunn very short; iiollcii- 

 masses waxy, compressed, clavate, slightly ciu'ved, attached by a very 



