ASCLEPIADB^. (MILKWEED FAMILY.) 525 



with sinuate or crisp-wavy margins. Flowers .003 long, few, clustered 

 at axils, longer than pedicels; apex of lobes of crown obtuse, retuse, 

 with cusp in sinus, or tapering to a cusp; follicles .02 to ,04 long, 

 clothed with soft spines and sometimes tubercled — Spring — Gorges 

 east of Dead Sea. 



3. SOLEl^OSTOMA, Hayne. Solenostoma. ^Arjel. 



Calyx 5-parted. Corolla 5-parted, with erect, oblong-linear lobes. 

 Crown cup-shaped, thick, with 5, short, rounded lobes, surrounding 

 the base of the long-stipitate gynostegium. Pollen-masses club-shaped, 

 flattened, pendulous. Stigma pentagonal, flattish. Follicles oblong- 

 ovoid, unarmed, cartilaginous — A desert shrub with umbelled flowers. 



S. Argel, Del. .Gtol; branches terete, erect, leafy. Leaves 

 fleshy, glaucous, minutely velvety, nearly sessile, ovate-oblong to ellip- 

 tical, acute. Umbels axillary, short-peduncled; corolla. 008 to. 01 broad, 

 white — Spring — Yv^adis south of Dead Sea, and southward. 



4. OXYSTEI^MA, R. Br. Oxystelma. Libbein. 



Calyx 5-parted. Corolla rotate, with 5, triangular, ciliate lobes, 

 and a papillose, expanded ring at throat. G-ynostegium exserted. 

 Crown composed of 5, transversely broader leaves, inflated below and 

 tapering to a slender strap above, overtopping the gynostegium. Pol- 

 len-masses clup-shaped, flattened, tapering at tip, pendulous ; stigma 

 muticous; follicles unarmed — Perennial, climbing herbs. 



0. Alpiaii, DC. If Branches slender. Leaves .04 long, linear, 

 acute, tapering at base. Racemes 2-5-flowered, axillary, as long as 

 leaves; corolla pink, .015 to .02 broad, with broad, short- triangular, 

 ciliate lobes ; follicles oblong, acuminate, twin, glabrous — Spring — 

 El-Ghor, south of Dead Sea, and southward. 



5. CcOMPHOCAKPUS, R. Br. Gomphocarpus. 'Arjel. 



Calyx 5-parted. Corolla 5-parted, rotate or reflexed. Crown of 5 

 leaves, adnate at base to gynostegium, concave, hooded, urn-shaped. 

 Anthers membranous-tipped. Pollen-masses coulter-shaped, tapering 

 at tip. Stigma flattened, pentagonal. Follicles inflated, echiuate 

 with soft spines — Perennial herbs or shrubs ; flowers umbelled in 

 upper axils. 



1. Cr. frMticosu§, L. 5 1? gldbrescent, or minute-velvety, green; 

 branches simple, wand-like. Leaves subsessile or short-petioled, ob- 

 long- to linear-lanceolate, .1 to .15 long, mucronate. Corolla .01 to 

 .015 broad, wliite^ lobes ovate, reflexed, hirsute at margin, otherwise 

 glabrous ; apex of leaves of crown truncate, with two teeth at each in- 

 ner angle, the inner straight, the outer longer, curved outwardly; 

 follicles ovate-oblong, glabrescent between bristles — Spring — Wadis 

 south of Dead Sea. (Tristram). 



2. €r. Sinaicu§, Boiss. 5 G-heil. Ghalqat-ed-Dlh. ^Argel. 1, 

 crisp-canescent ; branches simple, wand-like, leafy. Leaves short-petioled, 

 oblong- to linear-lanceolate, .04 to. 06 long, acute, muticous or mu- 

 cronulate. Corolla .01 to .015 broad, yellowish^ lobes reflexed, ovate, 



