22 xcv. ASCLEPIADE^;. (J. D. Hooker.) \_Cynanclium. 



gate, moderately ventricose, smooth (in C. corymbosum densely clothed with 

 soft spines). Seeds comose. DISTRIB. Species about 100; tropical and tem- 

 perate. 



I cannot retain Vincetoxicum as distinct from Cynanchum ; the presence or 

 absence of processes or scales within the corona affords no character (see C. acutur/t). 

 The corona itself affords very inconstant characters even for many of the species. 



* Stem erect. Corona simple, 5-lobed or -partite, lobes without internal 

 processes. 



1. C. Vincetoxicum, Pers. ; pubescent or glabrate, leaves broadly 

 cordate or ovate acute, cymes sessile or ped uncled, flowers corymbose or pani- 

 culate, corolla yellow, segments glabrous or nearly so, coronal-lobes triangular 

 oblong or rounded. C. Kenouriense, Wight Contrib. 58. Vincetoxicum 

 officinale, Moench; Boiss. Fl. Orient, iv. 54; Dene, in DC. Prodr. viii. 524. 

 V. Kenouriense, Dene. I.e. 525. Asclepias Yincetoxicum, Linn. 



TEMPERATE HIMALAYA; from Kashmir to Sikkim, alt. 7-11,000 ft. DISTRIB. 

 Westwards to Norway and Spain. 



Stem 6-10 in., and leaves beneath visually pubescent, sometimes glabrous; leaves 

 broader, greener, shorter petioled and less coriaceous than in the two following species. 

 The coronal-lobes are very variable indeed. 



2. C. glaucum, Wall, in Wight Contrib. 58 ; erect, hoary or puberu- 

 lous pale or glaucous, leaves ovate oblong lanceolate or cordate, cymes usually 

 sessile, flowers umbelled, corolla yellow segments hirsute or bearded within, 

 coronal-lobes 5 rounded broader than long fleshy. Wall. Cat. 8229. Vince- 

 toxicum canescens, Dene, in DC. Prodr. viii. 523 ; Boiss. Fl. Orient, iv. 52. 



TEMPERATE HIMALAYA, from Nepal Westwards, alt. 5-9000 ft. WESTERN TIBET, 

 alt. 10-12,000 ft. DISTRIB. Afghanistan and westward to the Greek Archipelago. 



Stem 6-18 in., erect, flexuous ; rootstock with dense fascicles of roots as in C. 

 Vincetoxicum. Leaves 1-3 by l|-2^ in., extremely variable in length and breadth, 

 coriaceous, acute acuminate or apiculate, nerves very oblique ; petiole |- in. Cymes 

 pubescent, few or many-fld. ; pedicels short. Corolla % in. diam., very variable in 

 size, segments subacute. Coronal-lobes variable. Follicles 2-4 in., slender. Seeds 

 ^-^ in. long, broadly ovoid, concavo-convex. Boissier says that C. glaucum differs 

 from canescens in the narrower leaves, few-fld. cymes, and smaller corolla with ovate 

 segments, but none of these characters hold good. In some Tibetan specimens the 

 coronal-lobes are narrow, and the filaments form a rather long column. 



3. C. Arnottianum, Wight Contrib. 58 ; erect, puberulous or hoary, 

 leaves ovate oblong or lanceolate, cymes sessile, corolla dark purple, segments 

 hirsute or bearded within, coronal-lobes 5 fleshy oblong or rounded. Vince- 

 toxicum Arnottianum, Wight Ic. t. 1614 ; Dene, in DC. Prodr. viii. 523; Boiss. 

 Fl. Orient, iv. 52. V. montanum, Dene. 1. c. 525. V. luridum. Stocks mss. 



WESTERN HIMALAYA ; Kashmir, alt. 6-8000 ft., Royle, &e. DISTRIB. Belu- 

 chistan. 



Habit and foliage of C. glaucum, with the leaves sometimes whorled, and smaller 

 dark purple flowers. I suspect that it is only a variety of that plant, and both of 

 C. Vincetoxicum. 



* Stem twining. Corolla glabrous. Corona without internal processes, 

 t Peduncle of cyme short. 



4. C. ovalifolium, Wight Contrib. 57 ; twining, glabrous, leaves 

 elliptic or oblong acuminate base rounded or subacute, peduncles short, flowers 

 racemose or panicled, corona short irregularly toothed, teeth often curved. 



