226 LXXIX. EEENACE.'E. 



4. MABA, Yorst. 



Flowers cH(Pcioiis. Calyx cup-like, cither entire semi-8-fid 

 or 8-lid. Corolla urceolate or bcll-sliaped, 3-fid ; lobes twisted 

 to the left. Male : Stamens 3-0, sometimes 9-12, connate 

 in pairs, hypoo^ynous, surrounding the abortive ovary ; tila- 

 ments slender ; anthers linear, often apiculate. — Female : 

 Stamens or 6-7, abortive, on the corolla-tube. Ovary 3- 

 celled; cells 2-1-seeded ; stigma 3-parted. Berry ellipsoid, 

 rarely globose, smooth, 3-2-celled, not very fleshy. — DC. 

 Frod. viii.^. 240; Thes. Caf. t. 110. 



Shrubs, often growing near the sea, with alternate, small, subsessile 

 leaves and solitary or twin axillary, sessile flowers. Corolla externally 

 hairy. — M. JSatalensiSy H., is our only species. 



Order LXXX. ASCLEPIADE^. 



Calyx 5-parted. Corolla 5-lobed, regular, valvate or twisted 

 in bud, the throat usually provided with an appendage called 

 the corona, which may be tubular or cup-shaped, entire or 

 divided into distinct segments in 1 or more series, often adnate 

 to the staminal tube, and then apparently an appendage of 

 the anthers. Stamens 5, at the base of the corolla-tube, the 

 short filaments usually connate in a tube (called gynostege) 

 enclosing the pistil ; anthers 2-celled, rarely 4-celled, opening 

 inwards ; pollen coalescing into masses (pollinia) as nume- 

 rous as the anther-cells, which are 1-2-celled, pendulous, erect 

 or horizontal, and affixed in pairs, in fours or singly to 5 

 stigmatic processes (corpuscles) ; rarely pollen in granular 

 masses, each grain of 4 granules. Carpels 2 ; ovules nume- 

 rous ; styles 2, close together, mostly short ; stigma 1, com- 

 mon to both styles, dilated. Follicles 2, or 1 by abortion ; 

 seeds mostly with a tuft of silky hairs at the hilum, albumi- 

 nous. — CUmbing or erect, shrubby or herbaceous plants, often 

 with tuberous roots, and often with milky juices: many are 

 leafless, with succulent stems. Leaves opposite, quite entire, 

 without stipules. 



Tribe 1. Pekiploceje. Pollen-masses 5-20, granular (4 granules to 

 each grain), affixed singly or in fours to the dilated apex of each of the 5 

 corpuscles of the stigma. Filaments either free or connate. 

 Corolla with scales in the throat, alternating with 

 the lobes. 

 Filaments of the stamens quite free. 



Corolla salver-shaped ; stamens in its base ; 

 anthers dorsally hairy, with a long, slender, 



plumose crest 1. Ectadium. 



Corolla subrotate or funnel-shaped ; stamens 



