ASCLEPIADACBAE 377 



1. S. baumll Decne. 



A scandent woody vine, the stems rather slender. Leaves elliptic to 

 elliptic-ovate, rounded or somewhat acuminate, base rounded, 7 to 15 cm 

 long, 4 to 8 cm wide, pubescent, the lower surface rather densely so. 

 Cymes axillary, solitary or in pairs, trichotomous, lax, 4 to 9 cm long. Calyx 

 small, greenish. Corolla purple, rotate, 5 mm in diameter, the lobes ovate 

 or oblong-ovate. Follicles cylindric, slender, pubescent, 5 to 9 cm long. 

 (Fl. Filip. pi. 138.) 



In thickets, occasional, fl. Oct.-Dec.; widely distributed in the Philip- 

 pines. Endemic. 



3. ASCLEPIA8 Linnaeus 



Erect perennial herbs with milky sap. Leaves opposite or whorled. 

 Flowers in peduncled or sessile umbels, terminal or lateral, in our species 

 red and orange-yellow. Calyx deeply 5-parted, with 5 to 10 glandular scales 

 at the base within. Corolla rotate, deeply 5-lobed, the lobes valvate or 

 slightly overlapping, usually reflexed when open. Corona of 5 processes 

 arising from the staminal-column and adnate to it above, the lobes ovate, 

 concave-hooded, with usually a horn-like tooth projecting from within. 

 Stamens inserted on the base of the corolla; filaments connate into a tube; 

 anthers with a membranaceous appendage inflexed over the apex of the 

 style; pollen-masses 1 in each cell. Follicles variable, the pericarp usually 

 coriaceous. Seeds comose. (The ancient Greek name.) 



Species 80, chiefly in America and Africa, 1 introduced in the Philippines. 



1. A. CURASSAVICA L. Milkweed. 



An erect, simple or slightly branched, perennial, glabrous herb 40 to 60 

 cm. high. Leaves opposite, lanceolate, to oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, base 

 narrowed, 7 to 13 cm long. Umbels axillary and terminal, peduncled, few- 

 to many-flowered. Sepals linear, green. Corolla-lobes red, reflexed, 'oblong, 

 about 8 mm long. Column stipitate, the corona: yellow, the flower, including 

 the reflexed corolla, 1.2 to 1.4 cm long. Follicles lanceolate, acuminate, 

 narrowed at both ends, 6 to 8 cm long, 1 to 1.3 cm in diameter in the middle. 

 (Fl. Filip. pi. 71.) 



In open waste places, fl. most of the year ; common and widely distributed 

 in the Philippines. A native of tropical America, now a weed in most trop- 

 ical countries. 



4. ISCHNOSTEMMA King & Gamble 



Twining slender vines with opposite leaves. Inflorescence of slender; 

 few-flowered, lateral, peduncled umbels, the pedicels slender.' Calyx 5-fld. 

 Corolla rotate, the tube short, the lobes long, slender, imbricate. Corona of 

 5, membranaceous, lanceolate, flattened processes attached to the base of the 

 staminal-column. Staminal-column attached to the base of the corolla-tube, 

 the anthers slender, the appendages short, thin, obtuse, connivent over the 

 apex of the style; pollen-masses 1 in each cell, pendulous, ellipsoid. Ovary 

 of 2 carpels; styles connate above. Follicles slender, long-acuminate, lan- 

 ceolate in outline. Seeds small, flat, winged, comose. (Greek "vestige" 

 and "wreath" or "crown.") 



A monotypic genus. 



