478 Lxxxv. ASCLEPiADEiE (brown). [^Carolluma. 



bifid, sometimes so deeply that the whole corona (inner and outer) 

 appears to consist of 5 trifid lobes ; inner coronal-lobes incumbent on 

 the backs of the anthers and not longer than them, or produced into 

 erect connivent or recurved tips, with or without a dorsal tooth or horn 

 near or at their base, where they are dorsally connected with the outer 

 corona. Staminal-column arising from the bottom of the corolla, short ; 

 anthers horizontally inflexed or ascending, not appendaged. Pollen- 

 masses horizontal or ascending, solitary in each anther-cell, pellucid 

 along the inner margin or at the apex, attached to the pollen-carriers 

 in pairs by short and rather slender caudicles ; pollen-carriers with or 

 without a wing-like expansion on e^ch side, black or brown. Style not 

 produced beyond the anthers, truncate at the apex. Follicles narrowly 

 fusiform, linear-terete or trigonous, smooth. Seeds crowned with a tuft 

 of hairs. — Succulent perennial herbs, branching, leafless. Stems 3-6- 

 angled, thick and fleshy, obtusely tubercled or acutely toothed along the 

 angles. Flowers in few or many-flowered fascicles or sessile umbels at 

 the base, apex, or along the sides of the stems between the angles^ 

 small or of moderate size, pedicellate or subsessile. — Piaranthus, Benth. 

 et Hook, f . Gen. PI. ii. 782, not of R. Br. Boucerosia, W. & A. ; 

 Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. ii. 782. 



Species numerous, distributed throughout Africa into the South of Europe, and 

 through Arabia into India. 



The majority of species of Caralluma are easily recognised by their habit and 

 by the outer corona being cupular or its lobes forming 5 small pouches. A few- 

 species, however, having the outer coronal- lobes nearly or quite free to the base, 

 cannot be technically distinguished from Stapelia, but are so very similar in every 

 other character to species having the typical coron;d -structure of Caralluma that 

 they cannot be generically separated from them. Yet it appears to me unadvisable 

 to unite the two genera, since in the majority of cases it is easy to decide to which 

 genus any given species should belong; but where the coronal-structure is not clearly 

 that of a typical Caralluma, both genera should be consulted. 



The dimensions of the corolla (unless otherwise stated) are given from flowers 

 that have been swelled by boiling in water, but may not be quite as large as those of 

 the living flowers. 



*Corolla-lobes ^-| in. long, equalling or up to about 

 twice as long as the basal united part 

 •j-Flowers numerous, in large globose umbels or fas- 

 cicles at the apex of the stem or its short lateral 

 branches. 

 Sterns 4-5-angled. 



Corolla large. If in, in diani., campanulate ; 

 tube about 9 lin. long and as much in 

 breadth . . . . . . . 1. C. spedosa. 



Corolla ^1^ in. in diam. subrotate, or with 

 a campanulate tuba l|-4< lin. long. 

 Corolla without a tuft of long hairs at the tips 

 of the lobes, ciliate. 

 Corolla \\ in. in diam., densely covered with 



persistent long hairs on the inner face 2. C. hirtijlora. 

 Corolla ^-| in. in diam , glabrous or thinly 

 covered with long hairs on the inner 

 face, which easily fall away from the 

 dried lowers . . , . .3. C. retrospiciens. 



