390 Lxxxv. ASCLEPIADE.E (brown). [Prosopostelma. 



29 PROSOPOSTELMA, Baillon, I]i^t. P]. x. 247. 



Flowers almost as in Cynanchum. Calyx short. Corolla rotate ; 

 lobes nairow, overlapping to the left. Corona of 5 lobes, affixed to 

 the bottom of the corolla and opposite to the corolla-lobes, broadly 

 petaloid, emarginate and connivent in a cup. Style depressed at the 

 apex. — Glabrous twiners. Leaves opposite, cordate. Cymes lateral, 

 from one axil, shortly pedunculate.- -K. Schum. in Engl. & Prantl, 

 Pflanzenfam. iv. ii. 227. 



This genus is unknown to me. Baillon states that there are two species natives 

 of W. Tropical Africa, but he does not describe or name them. The position of the 

 petiiloid coronal-lobes opposite to the corolla-lobes is a very marked cl)aracter, and 

 in this respect it is like Solenostemma, but in all else it seems to be indistinguishable 

 from Cynanchum. Can it be intended for that form of Cynanchum schistoglossum 

 in which the corona is divided into 5 euneately-quadrate lobes alternating with the 

 anthers and therefore opposite to the corolla-lobes ? 



30. CYNANCHUM, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. ii. 762. 



Calyx 5 -partite. Corolla very deeply 5-lobed, rotate or rotate-cam- 

 panulate ; lobes overlapping to the left and straight or more or less 

 twisted in bud. Corona arising from the staminal-column near or at 

 its base, often membranous, annular, cup-shaped or tubular, toothed 

 or iobed at the top or divided nearly or quite to the base into 5 entire 

 or toothed lobes, with or without a tooth, lobe, thickening or keels 

 within the tube in front of each of the principal teeth or lobes^ or on 

 the inner face or at the base of the lobes when the corona is divided. 

 Staminal-column arising at or near the base of the corolla ; filament 

 part varying from almost none to a long slender stipe within the 

 corona; anther-appendages membranous or slightly fleshy, inflexed 

 over the apex of the style or connivent or erect around it. Pollen- 

 masses pendulous, solitary in each anther-cell, affixed in pairs by short 

 or long caudicles to the pollen-carriers. Style shorter or longer than 

 the anther-appendages ; apical part truncate, conical, or rostrate. 

 FoUicles smootli, winged, or setose. Seeds crowned with a tuft of hairs. 

 — 'Stem twijiing or erect, leafy, rarely leafless, fleshy. Leaves opposite. 

 Flowers rather small, in sessile or pedunculate corymbs, racemes or 

 umbel-like or corymbose cymes, which are subaxillary or lateral 

 between the bases of the petioles. — Vincetoxicum, Medic, in Act. Acad. 

 Theod. Palat. vi. Phys. 404; Moench, Method. PI. 717; Benth. et 

 Hook. f. Gen. PI. ii. 761. Sarcocyphula, Harv. Thes. Cap. ii. 58. Perian- 

 thostelnm, Baillon, Hist. PI. x. 247. Schizoslephanus, Hochst. ex 

 K. Schum. in Engl. Jahrb. xvii. 139. 

 A large cosmopolitan genus. 



I have united Schizostephanus with Cynanchum, as I can find no structural 

 difference between them except in the lengtlj of the filament-part of the staminal- 

 cohnnn, which, in Schizostephanus, is very long and slender, and appears to be the 

 only character by which it can be distinguished Irom Cynanchum. A correspond- 



