PENTANDRIA. DIGTNIA. 161 



II. DIGYNIA. 



f Flowers monopetalous, inferior, 



237. ECHITES. Jacquiu. Linn, 



Contorted. — Calix 5-parted, sraall. Corolla 

 salverlbrm, border S-clel't, orifice naked. An- 

 thers rigid, acuminate, convei-gent into a cone, 

 << cohering to the stigma by the middle." R. 

 Brown. Style 1; stigma anniilate, capitulum 

 2-lobed. Follicles 2, very long and straight. 

 Seed comose. 



Shrubs, mostly twining-, some species exuding* a lac- 

 tescent sap; leaves opposite; pedunclfS axillary or termi- 

 nal, one or many-flowered; flowers umbellate, corymbose 

 or spiked; corolla as in J\Wium, Vinca, .Jlmscjiiia, Penploca, 

 he. contorted, or spirally involute before expansion. 



Species. 1. E. difformis. Flowers small and g'reenzsh- 

 j'ellow. Caiix angular at the base. Corolla lined with 

 a silkj^ villus around the orifice. Antliers simple, seated 

 around the mouth of the tube, linear-sagittate, very acute 

 and rigid. Style 1, as long- as the stamens; stigma annu- 

 late, 2-lobed, viscid. Germ surrounded at tlie base by 

 a glandular 5-toothed torus. 



This genus of 29 species, according to Persoon, is pe- 

 culiar to the tropical parts of A'Tierica, with the excejmon 

 of2 species in india, and 2 of a doubtful genus at the 

 Cape of Good Hope, being succulent and furnished willi 

 axillary thorns. 



238. APOCYNUM. L. (Indian-Hemp.) 

 Calix \Gvy small, 5-cleft, persistent. Corolla 



campanulate, half 5-clcft, lobes revolute, fur- 

 nished at tiie base with 5 dentoid glands alter- 

 nating witb the stamina. Jlntlicvs connivent, 

 sagittate •'• cohering to the stigma by the mid- 

 dle.'* R. Brown. >S^^i//e obsolete; stigma thick and 

 acute. Follicles long and linear. Seed comose. 



Erect and herbaceous plants, or shrubby and twjm ig, 

 ■with opposite leaves; flowers corymbose or panic.- iate, 

 axillary or terminal. Corolla with 5 nectariferous degres- 

 sions near its base. 



]P 2 



