Holostemma.'] ASCLEPiADEiE. 225 



In ravines of Mount Victoria, Champion ; in the Happv Valley woods, Wi/furd ; also 

 Hance and Wriyht. Not known out of the island. 



3. ASCLEPIAS, Linn. 



Corolla rotate ; the lobes valvate in the bud, at first spreading, then reflexed. 

 Staminal corona attached to the top of the g\ nostegiuin, consisting of 5 erect 

 hood-shaped lobes or scales, each with a horizontal horn-sha])ed process project- 

 ing from the base inside, and curved over the stigma. Pollen masses pendu- 

 lous, affixed in pairs by their attenuated end. Stigma flattened at the top. 

 Follicles smooth or with soft prickles. — Herbs, usually erect and little branched. 

 Leaves opposite or whorled, rarely alternate. Umbels interpetiolar. 



A considerable genus, all North American except where introduced, if the African genus 

 Gomphocarpus be considered as really distinct. 



1. A. curassavica, Z/7z;/. ; Dene, in I)C. Prod. viii. 566; Bot. Beg. 

 ^.81. An erect perennial, 2 or 3 feet high, sometimes slightly woody at the 

 base. Leaves opposite, lanceolate or oblong-laneeolate, acute, about 4 in. long, 

 narrowed into a short petiole, glabrous on both sides. Umbels many-flowered, 

 on peduncles shorter than the leaves. Corolla orange-red, about \ in. dia- 

 meter, the lobes reflexed. Staminal body yellower, on a stalk of about a line. 

 Hood-shaped scales of the staminal corona ovate, shorter than the inner 

 curved horn. Follicles smooth and glabrous, 2 to 3 in. long, acuminate and 

 narrowed into a stalk at the base. 



Naturalized all over the island, Champion and others. A native of the ^Vest Indies, but 

 now spread in great abundance over most inhabited tropical regions. 



4. TYLOPHORA, K. Br. 



Corolla rotate, with ovate or lanceolate lobes. Staminal corona of 5 entire 

 scales, more or less adnate to the gynostegium at the back of the anthers, and 

 usually short, without inner appendages. Pollen- masses transverse or ascend- 

 ing, very small, attached in pairs. Stigma not pointed. Follicles smooth. — 

 Twiners. Flowers small, in one or in several umbels, alternately sessile along 

 an interpetiolar peduncle. 



A considerable geaus, spread over the tropical and southern regions of the Old World. 



1. T. hispida, Bene, in DC. Prod. viii. 610. A softly hairy herbaceous 

 twiner. Leaves usually ovate, minutely acuminate, rounded or slightly cordate 

 at the base, 1 to 2 in. long, on a petiole of 2 to 3 lines ; rarely broadly oblong or 

 nearly orbicular. Peduncles 1 to 2 in. long or even more, usually bent in zigzag 

 at each node or sessile umbel. Pedicels slender, 3 to 5 lines long. Flowers 2^ 

 to 3 lines diameter. Staminal corona of 5 short orbicular glaud-like scales, 

 inserted near the base of the gynostegium, and scarcely reaching the base of 

 the anthers. — Diplolepls apiculata, Lindl. in Trans. Hort. Soc. Lond. vi. 68. 



Common in Hongkong, Champion and others. Also on the adjacent continent, but not 

 known out of S. China. 



5. MARSDENIA, U. Br. 



Corolla campanulate or ahuost urceolate, rarely nearly rotate ; the lobes 

 short ; the throat frecpiently closed b\ a tult of hairs, but sometimes glabrous. 



