442 201. ASCLEPIADACEAE 



attached. Fruit of one or two follicles. Seeds usually with a tuft of hairs and 

 scanty albumen. Embryo with flat cotyledons and a short radicle. — Genera 

 ii8, species iioo. (Including PERIPLOCACEAE). (Plate 130.) 



1. Pollen in loosely cohering granules formed of 3 — 5 grains each. Pollen- 



carriers spoon- or trumpet-shaped, consisting of the concave blade 

 holding the pollen, the stalk, and the adhesive gland at its base. Fila- 

 ments usually free. [Subfamily PERIPLOCOIDEAE, tribe PERI- 



PLOCEAE.] 2 



Pollen of each anther-half closely united into i — 2 waxy masses. Pollen- 

 carriers not spoon- or trumpet-shaped, consisting of a central body and 

 two lateral, rarely obsolete arms (" caudicles ") to which the pollen- 

 masses are attached. Filaments nearly always united or wanting. 

 [Subfamily CYNANCHOIDEAE.] 29 



2. Corona inserted on the stamens or at their base 3 



Corona inserted on the corolla remote from the stamens, but sometimes 



decurrent nearly to the insertion of the stamens 16 



3. Corona consisting of free scales or threads 4 



Corona consisting of scales or threads united at their base 9 



4. Corona indistinct, consisting of minute scales 5 



Corona distincth^ developed 6 



5. Corona adnate to the filaments. Corolla-lobes oval. Anthers ovate- 



oblong. Leaves lanceolate. Flowers in dense, long-stalked cymes or 

 panicles. — Species 2. East Africa. (Including M acropelma Schum. 



and Sadeuxia Baill.) Gymnolaema Benth. 



Corona free from the filaments. Corolla-lobes linear-oblong. Anthers 

 linear-oblong. Leaves orbicular. Flov/ers in lax cymes. — Species 

 I. Equatorial East Africa. . . Baseonema Schlecht. & Rendle 



6. Corolla with valvate or almost valvate aestivation, divided nearly to the 



base. Calyx without glands. Corona-lobes broad, contiguous, usually 

 with a linear, 2-cleft dorsal appendage. Stem twining. Leaves cordate, 

 connected by a toothed stipular sheath. Inflorescences axillary. — 

 Species 2. Central and South-east Africa. Used medicinally. 



Chlorocodon Hook. fil. 



Corolla with distinctly contorted aestivation. Sepals alternating with 



glands, very rarely without, but then stem erect 7 



7. Anthers hairy. Corona-lobes thread-like, sometimes broadened at the base 



or cleft at the top. — Species 5. Some of them yield fibre, rubber, 

 poison, or medicaments. (Including Parquetina Baill. and Socotora 



Balf. fil.) Periploca L. 



Anthers glabrous 8 



8. Stem woody, twining. Leaves linear. Inflorescences axillary or on 



axillary dwarf-shoots. Corolla white, rotate, divided nearly to the 

 I base. Corona-lobes thread-like, 3-cleft. — Species i. Equatorial East 

 Africa. {Pleurostelma Schlecht., under Tacazzea Decne.) 



Schlechterella K. Schum. 



