531 



its segments contorted, as above described, and often 

 notched in the margin. Nectaries, in many instances, 

 singularly formed. Stamens five. Pistils two, or one with 

 a double stigma. Germen superior in all, except Gar- 

 denia, Genipa, and Macrocnemwn," (all now certainly not 

 admitted into this order.) " The Fruit, in many genera, 

 as Vinca, Nerium, Echites, Plumeria, Tabernamontana, 

 Cameraria, Periploca, Apocynum, Cynanchum, Asclepias, 

 Stapelia, Ceropegia and Pergularia, consists of two di- 

 stinct follicles, not observable in other plants. This sort 

 of seed-vessel is like a spatha amongst the other kinds of 

 calyx, of one valve, splitting longitudinally at the inner 

 edge. But the seeds are not attached to the suture, there 

 being a separate thread-shaped receptacle, extending the 

 whole length of the seed-vessel, over the whole of which 

 the seeds are imbricated, in a downward position. In all 

 the above mentioned the seeds are crowned with a soft 

 hairy tuft, except those of Vinca, which have no such ap- 

 pendage. The flowers of the Contorts are usually very 

 handsome, and there is something so singular in the struc- 

 ture of many of them, especially relative to the nectary 

 and stigma, that it is difficult to say, in many instances, 

 whether they have one or two stigmas ; especially when 

 two germens seem to bear but a single style. The corolla 

 in all is five-cleft, and the stamens five. Jacquin contends 

 that the latter are really ten. Linnaeus from repeated ex- 

 amination of Asclepias, was confirmed in the former opi- 

 nion, and especially from the investigation of Periploca, 

 whose flower, evidently constructed on the same principle 

 as Asclepias, has, no less evidently, but five stamens." 



Giseke very improperly annexes Embothrivm and Rho- 

 pala to this order, only because their fruit is a follicle ; 

 nor does any other genus which he, or Linnaeus, has men- 

 tioned, really belong to it, except Allamanda, Rauwolfia 

 and Cerbera of the latter ; Gynopogon and Melodinus of 

 Forster, with Willughbeia of Schreber. The first has a 

 bivalve coriaceous capsule, as if formed of two follicles 



2 m 2 



