56 ASCLEPIADACE^. [MARSDENIA. 



the free portion contiguous to the backs of the anthers. Staminal* 

 column short, anthers with inflexed membranous tip?, pollen -masses 

 erect, one in each cell, waxy. Stigma flat convex or beaked. 

 follicles with a thick pericarp, smooth ribbed or winged.* Seeds 

 comose. Species about 70, in tropical and subtropical regions of 

 both hemispheres, one occurring in the Mediterranean region. 



Corolla rotate, glabrous or hoary outside, 

 glabrous within . . . . . . 1. M. volubilis. 



Corolla urceolate or subcampanulate. 



Apex of style not exserted beyond the 

 anther-tips : 



Corolla-lobes pubescent on both sides, 

 corona-lobes much exceeding the anther- 

 tips ; follicles beaked, transversely 

 rugose 2. M. Roylei. 



Corolla-lobes pubescent outside, glabrous 

 within, corona-lobes not exceeding the 

 anther-tips ; follicles not beaked, longi- 

 tudinally rugose .... 3. M. tenacissima. 

 Corolla-lobes glabrous on both sides . 4. M. Hamiltonii. * 

 Apex of style exserted beyond the anther- 

 tips ; corolla-lobes glabrous outside, 

 pubescent within 5. M. lucida. 



M. volubilis, T. Cooke Fl. Bomb, u, 166. Dregea volubilis, Benfh. 

 ex Hook. f. F. B. I. iv, 46 ; Watt E. D. ; Kanjilal For. Fl. 244 ; Gamble 

 Man. Ind. Timb. 493; Prain Beng. PI. 697; Brandis Ind. Trees 468. 

 Asclepias volubilis, Linn. f. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. ii, 36 ; Hoya Lacuna, Buch. 

 Ham. in Wall. Cat. 8169. 



A large twining shrub, glabrous or hoary-tomentose. Bark of old 

 branches often lenticellate and pustular. Leaves glabrous or softly 

 tomentose, subcoriaceous, 2^-6 by 2-4f in., broadly ovate or suborbicular, 

 acuminate, base rounded or cordate ; main lateral nerves 4-5, branching 

 into fine reticulate veins ; petioles stout, \-2\ in. long. Flowers %-%. in. 

 across, green or yellowish green, arranged in slender drooping axillary 

 or interpetiolar umbelliform cymes ; peduncles usually longer than the 

 petioles, slender, puberulous ; pedicsls -1 in. long, very slender. 

 Calyx deeply divided ; segments ovate-oblong, obtuse or subacute. 

 Corolla rotate, glabrous or hoary outside, glabrous within, divided 

 nearly to the base ; lobes in. long, triangular-ovate. Corona-loles 

 large and fleshy ; upper free portion rounded on the outer margin and 

 with an obliquely truncate apex, inner margin cuspidate. Staminal- 

 column arising from near the base of the corolla. Follicles 3-4 in. long 



