ASCLEPIADEiK. (MILKWEED FAMILY.) 523 



an acute, membranous tip. Nectary consisting of 5 glands. Style 

 nearly ; stigma ovoid, dilated, somewhat 2-lobed at apex. Follicles 

 2, slender, elongated. Seeds long-hairy — Herbs, with shrubby base, 

 milky juice, and opposite leaves. 



A. Venetum, L. If. 5 to 1, paniculate. Leaves glabrous, ovate 

 to elliptical and oblong, mucronulate, with cartilaginous margins. 

 Cymes terminal, compound ; calyx canescent, with acute, triangular 

 lobes ; corolla-lobes as long as tube — Summer — Swamps, and es- 

 pecially salt marshes ; Marash, and westward and eastward. 



Order LXVII. ASCL.EPIAI>EiE, R. Br. (Milkweed Family). 



Herbs or shrubs, generally with milky juice, and op- 

 jposite, entire leaves or 0, a h-parted, persistent calyx, a mo- 

 nopetalous, regular, hypogynous corolla, 5 stamens inserted 

 on base of corolla, filaments (except in Periploca) connate 

 in a tube (gynostegium), including the pistil, anthers attach- 

 ed to the stigmas by means of connate spurs, styles 2, con- 

 nate at apex, stigma 1, pentagonal, hamng brown glands at 

 angles alternating with anthers, Polleri-masses as many as 

 anther-cells, adherent to the stigmatic glands; follicles 2, 

 seeds usually hairy — Anthers 2- or incompletelj 4-celled. 

 Crown at throat of corolla entire, lobed, or composed of se- 

 parate scales, or 0. 



* Filmnents free or united below. Pollen-masses granular, separately applied to stigmatic glands. 



1. PEEIPLOCA. Shrubs, with brownish-green or yellow flowers. 



* * Filaments connate. Pollen-masses waxy, fixed to the stigma in pairs by a gland, hanging 



vertically. 

 f Anthers ending in a hyaline or opaque membrane, projecting above disk. 

 X Pollen-masses pendulous, beneath the margin of the stigma. 

 § Crown of scales not adherent to gynostegium. 



2. GLOSSONEMA. 2^ Herbs; leaves ovate-oblong to linear; clusters axillary; flowers minute, 



3. SOLENOSTOMA. ^ Stiff branched; leaves ovate-oblong; umbels axillary; flowers white- 



4. OXTSTELMA. 2^ Climbing herbs, leaves linear; racemes axillary; flowers pink. 



$ $ Crown of scales adnate to gynostegium or dorsum of anthers. 



5. GOMPHOCAKPUS. ^ Low shrubs ; leaves oblong- to linear-lanceolate. Flowers not 



inflated 



6. CAIiOTEOPIS. ^ Small trees; leaves large, obovate; follicles obovate, inflated. 



$ $ $ Crown entire or lobed, adnate to gynostegium. 

 IT Longer lobes of outer or single croton opposite anthers, 



7. VINCETOXICTJM. 2|! Low, perennial herbs, with ovate leaves. 



8. CYNAJSrCHUM. If Twining, herbaceous perennials, with cordate leaves. 



9. PENTATROPIS. If Twining perennials, with oblong to elliptical leaves. 



TT IT Longer lobes af outer or single crown alternate with anthers. 



10. DiEMLi. ^ Twining, climbing; leaves cordate or reniform. 



X X Pollen-masses at the level of the margin of the stigma or above it. 



