ON THE ASCLEPIADE^. 197 



tremely sliglit, and, like the body of the stigma, green ; the 

 antherse, however, were distinctly formed, easily separable [is 

 from the stigma, and their cells, which were absolutely shut, 

 were filled with a turbid fluid, the parts of which did not 

 so cohere as to separate in a mass ; of the cucuUi, which in 

 the expanded flower are so remarkable, and constitute the 

 essential character of the genus, there was no appearance. 



In the next stage submitted to examination, where the 

 corolla nearly equalled the calyx in length, the gland-like 

 bodies of the stigma were become visible, and consisted of 

 two nearly filiform, light brown, parallel, contiguous and 

 membranaceous substances, secreted by the sides of the 

 furrow, which was now somewhat deeper : instead of the 

 filiform processes, a gelatinous matter occupied an obliquely 

 descending depression proceeding from towards the base of 

 each side of the angular furrow. 



In a somewhat more advanced stage, the membranes 

 which afterwards become the glands of the stigma were 

 found to be linear, closely approximated, and to adhere at 

 their upper extremity. At the same time the gelatinous 

 substance in the oblique depression had acquired a nearly 

 membranaceous texture and a light brown colour, and on 

 separating the gland from its furrow, which was then 

 practicable, this membrane followed it. At this period, 

 too, the contents of each cell of the anthera had acquired a 

 certain degree of solidity, a determinate form, and were 

 separable from the cell in one mass ; the cuculli were [is 

 also observable, but still very small and green, nearly 

 scutelliform, having a central papilla, the rudiment of the 

 future horn-like process. Immediately previous to the 

 bursting of the cells of the antherse, which takes place a 

 little before the expansion of the corolla, the cuculli are 

 completely formed, and between each, a pair of minute 

 light green fleshy teeth are observable, the single teeth of 

 each pair being divided from each other by the descending 

 alse of the antherse. The glands of the stigma have ac- 

 quired a form between eUiptical and rhomboidal, a carti- 

 laginous texture, and a brownish-black colour; they are 

 easily separable from the secreting furrow, and on their 



