45<> 201. ASCLEPIADACEAE 



Corona-lobes with rather large scale-like appendages at the base. Sepals 

 without basal glands. Herbs. Flowers small, in umbel-like inflores- 

 cences 65 



65. Corona-lobes curved inwards, attached to the stamens only by their basal 



appendages. Stigmatic head with a boss at the top. Leaves ovate. 

 — Species 3. South and Central Africa. . . . Woodia Schlecht. 

 Corona-lobes erect-connivent, inserted on the stamens. Stigmatic head 

 elevate-conical, 2-lobed. Sepals blunt. Corolla campanulate ; seg- 

 ments with recurved tips. Leaves linear. — Species i. South Africa. 

 (Under Schizoglossum E. Mey.) .... Stenostelma Schlecht. 



66. (60.) Corona of 3 rows of 5 lobes each ; those of the middle row 3-lobed or 



3-parted. Corolla rotate ; segments narrowly overlapping in the bud. 



Sepals with basal glands. Flowers in few-flowered umbels or corymbs. 



Erect or more frequently procumbent herbs or undershrubs. ... 67 



Corona simple 68 



67. Ovules I — 2 in each carpel. Mericarps triangular, ending in three spines. 



Seeds glabrous. Branches long. Leaves palmately 5 — 7-lobed. — 

 Species i. South-east Africa (Delagoa Bay). {Lobostephanus N. E. 



Brown) Emicocarpus K. Schum. & Schlecht. 



Ovules 3 or more in each carpel. Branches short. Leaves linear-filifonTi 

 or linear-hastate. — Species 5. South Africa. . . Eustegia R. Br. 



68. Corona-lobes petal-like, coloured, larger than the corolla-lobes, spatuiate. 



Divisions of the corolla usually rolled back. Sepals with many glands 

 at the base. Stigmatic head flat or short-conical. Erect herbs with a 

 tuberous root-stock. Leaves narrow. Flowers in umbels. — Species 6. 



Central Africa Margaretta Oliv. 



Corona-lobes not petal-like 69 



69. Corona-lobes very thick and fleshy, more rarely moderately fleshy, and 



then without an appendage and without a keel or with a single keel on 

 the inner face, but sometimes alternating with small teeth. Stigmatic 



head low. Erect plants 70 



Corona-lobes thin, rarely somewhat fleshy, but then with 2 keels or i — 2 

 appendages on the inner face. Herbs or undershrubs 71 



70. Stem woody. Leaves narrow, with minute bristles in their axils. Flowers 



in sometimes very short racemes. Sepals with basal glands. Corolla 

 campanulate, cleft to the middle or beyond ; segments woolly within. — 

 Species i. Central Africa. Used medicinally. . Kanahia R. Br. 

 Stem herbaceous or woody at the base, tuberous under ground. Flowers 

 in umbels. Corolla divided nearly to the base. — Species 45. Central 

 and South Africa. Some species have edible tubers or are used in 

 medicine. (Including Glossostelma Schlecht.) . Xysmalobium R. Br. 



71. Corolla shortly lobed or cleft half-way down. Sepals with glands at the 



base. Corona-lobes gibbous within. Stigmatic head truncate or umbon- 



