Ichnocarpm.] LXXIX. APOCYNACE^. 995 



but not prominent, 2 to Sin. long. Cymes small and oompaet, often numerous, 

 forming loose leafy panicles at the ends of the branches. Calyx-segments 

 scarcely 1 line long, pubescent, narrow. Corolla-tube 1^ line long ; the lobes 

 narrow, tapering into a long point, much contorted in the bud, the right-hand 

 edges overlapping, glabrous inside or with a few hairs in the throat. Ovaries 

 hirsute at the top. Follicles slender, 2, or 1 by the abortion of the other, 

 widely divaricate, 4 to Bin. long and about 2 lines broad, straight or very slightly 

 curved, somewhat moniliform. Seeds dark, 6 lines long, scarcely | line broad. 

 Coma white, silky hairs lin. long.— Wight, Ic. t. 430 ; Brand. For. Fl. ii. 

 185 ; /. dasycahjx, Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. ii. 449 ; 1. leptodictyus, F. v. M. Fragm. 

 vi. 118. 



Hab.: Eookingham Bay, Dallachy. 



Common in E. India and in the Archipelago. The Indian specimens have usually rather 

 narrower leaves, more hirsute underneath, but some are quite similar to the Australian ones.— 

 Benth. 



Ordee LXXX. ASCLEPIADEiE. 



Flowers regular. Calyx free, divided nearly or quite to the base into 5 

 segments or sepals, imbricate in the bud, bearing frequently 5 or more sniall 

 glands at the base inside. Corolla regular, with 5 teeth or lobes, contorted 

 or valvate in the bud, with or without scales or appendages in the throat 

 alternating with the lobes. Stamens 5, inserted at the base or near the base 

 of the corolla, the filaments short, connate or rarely free, the anthers always 

 connate in a tube (called gynostegium) enclosing the style ; anthers 2-celled, 

 or by the subdivision of the cells more or less completely 4-celIed ; the cells 

 opening inwards, the conneotivum produced into a short, truncate or rarely 

 acute appendage, or more frequently terminating in an inflexed membrane ; 

 corona consisting of variously shaped glandular membranous or fleshy appen- 

 dages attached to the back of the filaments or anthers, sometimes united in a 

 cup or ring, quite deficient in a few genera ; pollen consolidated into 1 or 2 

 masses in each cell of the ovary, attached (when the anther opens) in pairs or 

 in fours (1 or 2 from each of the adjoining anthers) to small processes of the 

 stigma placed between the anthers, and ultimately detached from the stigma 

 and carrying off the pollen -masses. Ovary of 2 distinct carpels, with several 

 usually numerous ovules attached to the inner angle ; styles united immediately 

 above the ovary, and thickened within the anthers into an angular body, 

 usually called the stigma, although not wholly stigmatic ; the summit in the 

 centre either truncate or more or less protruding in a conical or elongated, 

 beak-like, entire or 2-lobed process. Fruit of 2 follicles, or frequently 1 only 

 from the abortion of the other carpel. Seeds usually pendulous, with a long 

 silky tuft of hairs or coma at the hilum, compressed, often bordered ; testa 

 usually brown, smooth or rough ; albumen thin ; embryo straight ; cotyledons 

 foliaceous ; radicle short, superior. — Herbs, with a perennial, sometimes tuberous 

 rootstook, or more or less woody stock, or shrubs or very rarely trees. Stems or 

 branches frequently twining ; juice usually milky. Leaves almost always 

 opposite, entire ; stipules none or very obscure. Flowers often small, in racemes 

 of cymes often reduced to umbels, axillary or more frequently on one side of the 

 branch between the petioles. Bracts small, at the base of the branches and 

 pedicels ; bracteoles on the pedicels none or very rare and small. 



Like Apocynaeea, the Order is abundantly dispersed over the tropical regions of both the New 

 and the Old World, and represented by a few extratropical species in the southern as well as the 

 northern hemisphere, but does not extend to arctic or high alpine regions. The Order is nearly 

 allii d to ApocynaeeiB, but, with a somewhat different habit, it is neatly distinguished by the 

 definite pollen-masses, and their peculiar adherence to bodies detached from the style. In 

 determining the species of this Order, it is absolutely necessary that the numljer and position 



Past III. ? 



