314 Lxxxv. ASCLEPiADE^ (brown). [Asclepius. 



I am quite unable to retain Gomphocarpus as generically distinct from Asclepiasj 

 they have been united by Baillon (Histoire des Plantes, x. 225), and likewise by 

 Sehlechter (Journal of Botany, 1895, 334). The only distinctive character assigned 

 to these two genera is the presence of a horn or other appendage within the cucullate 

 or folded part of the coronal-lobes in Asclepias, and its absence in Oomphocarpua, 

 but this proves to be an untenable character, and if used as a generic distinction 

 would place species that are evidently most closely related to each other into different 

 genera, as, for example, A. tenuifolia, N. E. Br. and A. filiformis, Benth. & Hook, 

 f., A. angustata, N. E. Br. and A, macrantha, Hochst. ; whilst in A, coccinea, 

 X. E. Br., the horn is well developed in some specimens and entirely absent in 

 others, thus requiring to be placed in b. th genera. The eame variation occurs 

 in the genera Margaretta, Schizoglossum and Cynanchum, some species having the 

 tooth or process (which corresponds to the horn of Asclepias) present, whilst in 

 others it is entirely absent, thus fully demonstrating that this character is of no 

 "•eneric value. The genus St at km ost elm a proposed by K. Schumann for those 

 species having broad caudicles, also appears to me to be quite untenable, as I find a 

 gradual series of variations from the shoit and slender up to the long and broad 

 caudicles, the two extremes being very different, but I consider them to he only of 

 specific value. I have refi*ained Irom describing the pollen apparatus in the follow- 

 ing pages, for, being complicated, details concerning them, however concise, would 

 lengthen the descriptions considerably and serve no useful purpose. 



*Leaves never more than 5 times as long as broad, 

 usually much less, ^-4 in. broad, oblong, ovate, 

 ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, never linear. 

 fLraves cordate, subhastate or obtuse at the base. 



Umbel solitary, terminal, dense, 25-30- flowered . 1. A. densiflora. 

 Umbels 2-many to a stem, lacemosely arranged 

 along its upper part or corymbosely clustered 

 at its top, very rarely (in weak specimens) 

 solitary and then not strictly terminal. 

 Peduncles and pedicels glabrous ; leaves sessile 

 or subsessile, cordate at the base, gla- 

 brous. 

 Leaves elliptic-ovate, obtuse or broadly sub- 

 acute . . . . . . . 2. A. semiamplectens. 



Leaves elongate-ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 



tailoring to an acute point . . . 3. ^. glancophylla. 



Peduncles and pedicels pubescent or subtomen- 

 tose; leaves distinctly but sometimes shortly 

 petiolate. 

 Pubescence rust-coloured or deep tawnv ; 

 coronal-lobes subquadrate, solid, with a 

 split beak ...... 4. A. fnlva. 



Pubescence not rust-coloured nor tawny. 

 Coronal-lobes with a papillate line decurrent 

 from each side tooth and a crested 

 appendage within ; corolla-lobes ^ in. 

 long . . . . . . Q. A. odorata. 



Coronal-lobes with a 'simple horn or appen- 

 dage within the cavity, no decurrent 

 papillate lines j corolla-lobes .|-| in. 

 long, red. 

 Sepals 2-2^ lin. long; staminal-column 



2 lin. long 10. .4. pachyclada. 



