500 Lxxxv. ASCLEPiADE^ (browx). [^Iluerniopsis. 



column, very stout and solid, somewhat square in cross-section in the 

 lower part, with slightly concave sides and acute angles, erect, shortly 

 produced and connivent at the apex over the staminal-column, purplish 

 on the back and at the apex, yellowish-green on the sides below the 

 middle. Staminal-column 2J lin. long ; anthers oblong, obtuse. Apex 

 of the style truncate, not exceeding the anthers. — K. Schum. in Engl. 

 & PrantI, Pflanzenfam. iv. ii. 277. 



Iiower Guinea. German South-west Africa : near Windhoek, cultivated 

 specimens, Dinier ! 



Also in South Africa. 



The flowers of this plant, so far as I have observed, remain open for about 40 

 hours, they usually open towards the latter part of the afternoon and emit their 

 rather nauseous odour most strongly duririj^ the evening, the next morning it can 

 scarcely be detected even close to the tiower, so that the flower is probably fertilised 

 by a late-flying insect. The coronal-lobes copiously secrete a sweet fluid on their 

 backs and sides.' In habit the plant has much resemblance to Duvalia polifa, 

 N. E, Br., and Stapelia atrosanguinea,^ . E. Br. 



56. STAPELIA, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. ii. 784. 



Calyx 5-partite. Corolla rotate or broadly cup-shaped or with a 

 short broadly campanulate tube, sometimes with a raised rim on the 

 disk around the corona, 5-iobed ; lobes valvate in bud. Corona double, 

 arising from the staminal-column ; outer corona of 5 lobes free to their 

 base; inner corona of 5 simple, or bifid, or two-horned, or broadly 

 winged lobes. Staminal-column arising from the bottom of the 

 corolla ; anthers ascending or inflexed on the top of the style. Pollen- 

 masses subhorizontal or somewhat ascending, pellucid along the upper 

 part of the inner margin, solitary in each anther-cell, attached in pairs 

 to the pollen-carriers by short stout caudicles ; pollen-carriers with a 

 wing-like expansion on each side, blackish or dark brown. Follicles 

 narrowly fusiform, smooth. Seeds crowned with a tuft of hairs.- — 

 Dwarf, succulent herbs, branching from the base. Stems 4-5-angled, 

 thick and fleshy, toothed along the angles ; teeth tipped with very 

 small or rudimentary leaves. Flowers in few- or many-flowered 

 cymes arising from near the base of the young shoots or arranged 

 along the grooves between the angles, pedicellate, large or of moderate 

 size. 



Species numerous, all South African except the following. 



See note under Caralluma concerning generic distinction, &c. 



Corolla-lobes 4-5i in. long, hairy on the inner face . 1. S. gigantea. 

 Corolla-lobes about 1 in. long in the dried state, 



ciliate with clavate hairs, otherwise glabrous. 



(See also Caralluma lateritia, C. caudata, and C. 



valida) 2. ;S'. vaga. 



Corollrt-Iobes 'i-i in. long, not ciliate with clavate 



hairs, finely pubescent outside and on the apical 



part within 3. /S. Icwebensis. 



