CXLV. ASCLEPIADE^. 553 



liform or terete, tube and throat furnished within with scales ; limb contorted- 

 imbricate or rarely valvate in aestivation. STAMENS 5, inserted at the bottom of the 

 corolla, and alternate with its segments ; filaments flattened, usually united in a 

 tubular column surrounding the ovary, and furnished behind the anther with a crown 

 with various appendages ; anthers introrse or lateral, 2-celled, generally cohering in 

 a tube ; cells back to back, parallel, sometimes divided by a septum, opening by a 

 longitudinal or apical slit, rarely transverse (Gonolobus} ; pollen agglutinated into a 

 mass ; pollen-masses (pollinia) pendulous (Asclepias) or horizontal (Gonolobus) or 

 erect (Siapelia), either one for each cell, or united in pairs belonging to two con- 

 tiguous cells, fusiform, enveloped in an oily matter, and adhering to the glandular 

 prominences of the stigma. OVARIES 2, distinct, placentas nerviform, on ventral 

 sutures ; styles usually very short, closely appressed, and united by the common 

 stigma 5 stigma with 5 rounded angles, their bases alternate with the anthers, and 

 provided with cartilaginous corpuscules, or with a gland which retains the pollinia ; 

 ovules numerous, anatropous, pendulous, multiseriate. FOLLICLES 2, sometimes 1 by 

 arrest, on a placenta which detaches itself when ripe. SEEDS numerous, compressed, 

 imbricate, often comose. EMBRYO straight, in the axis of a fleshy albumen, rarely 

 exalbuminous ; radicle superior. 



[The following arrangement is that of Decaisne, in De Candolle's "Pro- 

 dromus." 



Sub-order I. PBEIPLOCEJE. Filaments more or less distinct ; anthers with 20-10 pollinia, 

 free, or applied to the top of the stigma; pollen of 3-4 grains. (Asiatic and African). *Peri- 

 ploca, Hemidesmus, Streptocaulon. 



Sub-order II. SECAMON.E. Filaments coherent ; anthers 4-celled ; pollinia 20, applied in 

 fours to the top of the corpuscules of the stigma. (Asiatic and African). Secamone, Toxo- 

 carpus. 



Sub-order III. EUASCLEPIADBJ;. Filaments coherent ; anthers 2 i celled ; pollinia 10, fixed 

 in pairs to the prominences of the stigma, separated by a longitudinal furrow. 



DIVISION I. ASTEPHAN.E. Throat of the corolla without scales. Staminal corona 

 (African and American). Astephanus, &c. 



DIVISION II. MICKOLOM.E. Throat of the corolla furnished with fleshy scales. Staminal 

 crown 0. (African and Arabian). Microlortm, &c. 



DIVISION III. HAPLOSTEMMJE. Staminal crown simple, of 5 segments ; segments inserted at 

 the base of the gynostegium, simple, entire or 2-fid. Hetastelma^ Roulinia, Acerates, Vince- 

 toxicum, Haplostemma, &c. 



DIVISION IV. CYNOCTON.ZE. Throat of the corolla naked. Staminal crown simple, cup- 

 shaped or tubular, mouth sub-entire or lobed. Ortliosia, *Cynoctonum, Holostemma, *Arauja, &c. 



DIVISION V. SARCOSTEMM.&. Throat of the corolla naked. Staminal crown usually double ; 

 outer short, innate-lobed ; inner of 5 segments, which are fleshy or ligulate or more or less 

 rounded and tumid. Calotropis, Pentatropis, Sarcostemma, Dcem ; a, &c. 



DIVISION VI. EusTEGia;. Throat of the corolla naked. Staminal crown campanulate, 

 double or triple ; segments more or less connate below, opposite or alternate, produced into a 

 linear appendage, surrounding the sessile or stipitate gynostegium. Eustegta, Cynanchum, &c. 



