342 



ASCLEPIADACEAE. 



4. METASTELMA E. Br. Mem. Wern. Soc. 1 : 52. 1809. 

 Slender perennial vines, with small opposite' leaves, and small white or 

 greenish flowers in axillary cymes. Calyx-lobes 5, usually with a gland in each 

 sinus. Corolla subrotate or campanulate, rather deeply 5-lobed. Corona simple, 

 5-parted, its segments narrow. PoUinia waxy. Gynostegium sessile or stipitate. 

 Stigma flat. Follicles small, slender, smooth. [Greek, referring to the parted 

 corona.] Fifty species or more, natives of tropical and subtropical America. 

 Type species: Cynanchum parviflorum Sw. 



Gynostegium long-stipitate. 1. M. Northropiae. 



Gynostegium sessile or subsesslle. 



Corona longer than the gynostegium. 2. If. hamatum. 



Corona as long as the gynostegium or shorter. 



Corolla-lobes papillose-pubescent or villous within. 

 Corolla-lobes papillose-pubescent within. 



Leaves ovate to oblong or lanceolate. 3. M. tahamense. 



Leaves oblanceolate to spatulate. 4. M, inaguense. 



Corolla-lobes villous within. 



Leaves linear to linear-oblong. 



Leaves elongated-linear, 1.5 mm. wide. 



Leaves linear to linear-oblong, 2-3 mm. wide. 5. M. linearifoUum. 

 Leaves obovate to spatulate. 6. M. bariatum. 



Corolla-lobes glabrous ; cymes long-peduncled ; corolla- 7. M. Eggersii. 

 lobes acute ; leaves linear. 8. M. palustre. 



1. Metastelma Northropiae Schltr. in Urban, Symb. Ant. 5: 468. 1908. 



A slender glabrous vine, 1-2 m. long. Leaves ovate to oblong or oblong- 

 lanceolate, 1.5-3 cm. long, acute at the apex, rounded or narrowed at the base, 

 the slender petiole 3-8 mm. long; cymes few-flowered, on peduncles about as 

 long as the petioles; calyx-lobes ovate, obtuse or acutish; corolla about 5 mm. 

 long, 5-lobed, glabrous without, pubescent within, its lobes oblong, obtuse; 

 gynostegium long-stipitate; eorona-aegmenta linear, acute; follicles linear, 

 glabrous, 5-6 em. long. 



White-lauds, coppices and scrub-lauds. Andros and Great Bahama to Cat 

 Island and Little San Salvador ; Florida ; Cuba. Referred by Mrs. Northrop to M. 

 iaJiamense Griseb., which it much resembles, except in its long-stipitate gynos- 

 tegium. NOETHEOP's Metastelma. 



2. Metastelma hamatum Griseb. Oat. PI. Cub. 173. 1866. 



A slender glabrous vine. Leaves ovate to oblong or linear, acute at the 

 apex, rounded or narrowed at the base, 1-2 cm. long, 2-7 mm. wide, the 

 petiole 2-6 mm. long; cymes few-flowered, short-peduncled ; calyx-lobes ovate, 

 obtuse or acutish; corolla deeply 5-lobed, the lobes oblong-lanceolate, obtuse or 

 acutish, puberulent within; corona-segments linear-lanceolate, about twice as 

 long as the sessile gynostegium. 



White-lands and rocky soil. Cat Cay, Little Inagua, Castle Island, Caicos Is- 

 lands, Grand Turk : — Cuba. 



3. Metastelma bahamense Griseb. Cat. PI. Cub. 174. 1866. 



Metastelma cubense Griseb. El. Br. W. I. 417. 1861. Not Dene. 1844. 



Epicion bahamense Small, El. Miami 149, 200. 1912. 



A slender glabrous vine, sometimes 3 m. long. Leaves oblong, ovate or 

 ablong-lanceolate, 1-3 cm. long, acute or mucronate at the apex, mostly 

 rounded at the base, the petiole 3-7 mm. long; cymes few-several-flowered, 

 short-peduncled; calyx-lobes oblong to ovate, acutish or obtuse; corolla deeply 

 5-cleft, 3-5 mm. long, its lobes oblong, papillose-puberulent on the inner side; 

 corona-segments oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, about as long as the short- 

 stipitate gynostegium; follicles linear, 4r-7 cm. long. 



Scrub-lands and white-lands, throughout the archipelago from Abaco and the 

 Berry Islands to Mariguana and the AngulUa Isles. — Florida ; Cuba. 



Prof. Coker's doubtful record of M. irachystephanum Griseb. probably refers to 

 this species ; his specimen Is imperfect. Referred by Hitchcock to M. SchlechtendahlU 

 Dene. BAHAMA Mbtastbi-ma. 



