Stepkanotis.] AscLEPiADEiB. 



227 



A genus of several species, from Madagascar or from the Indian Archipelago. The latter 

 belong, with the Hongkong one, to a section with the scales of the staminal corona almost en- 

 tirely adnate, the tips alone being free, and easily overlooked, constituting the genus Jasmi- 

 nardhes, Blume. 



1. S. (Jasminanthes) chinensis, Glam^. inKew Journ. Bot. y. 53. A tall 

 twiner, the young branches softly pubescent. Leaves ovate or oval-oblong, 

 acuminate, cordate at the base, 2 to 4 in.lojig, minutely pubescent, especially 

 on the veins, but becoming nearly glabrous on the upper side, on petioles of 

 i in. or more. Flowers white, sweet-scented at night, 2 to 6 together in in-e- 

 gular pedunculate umbels, the pedicels often above 1 in. long., Sepals oblong, 

 4 to B lines long. Corolla-tube about \ in., rather swollen below, marked in- 

 side with oblique hairy lines attaining the height of the gynostegium. Lobes 

 lanceolate-falcate, 9 to 10 lines long. Staminal corona of 5 scales, almost en- 

 tirely adnate, black when dry, the tips alone shortly free. Anthers terminated 

 by a large oval-oblong concave membrane. Stigma ovoid at the top, as long 

 as the anther-membranes. 



Rare in the Happy Valley, Champion/; on Mount Goagh, Wilford ; also Wright. Not 

 known out of the island. , 



7. GYMlfEMA, R. Br. 



Corolla rotate ; the lobes ovate, contorted in the bud, with small thick scales 

 alternating with them, and 2 decurrent hairy lines in the very short tube. No 

 staminal corona. Pollen-masses erect, ovoid, affixed in pairs. Follicles smooth. 

 — Twiners. Leaves opposite. Flowers small, in almost sessile small interpe- 

 tiolar umbels. 



A small genus, confined to the tropical regions of the Old World. 



1. G. affine^ Bene, in BG. Prod. viii. 622. A twiner, with branches and 

 inflorescence softly pubescent. Leaves obovate, oval, or oblong, obtuse or 

 very shortly acuminate, 1 to 2 in. long, narrowed or rounded at the base, on a 

 petiole of 3 or 4 lines, glabrous on both sides, the veins regularly pinnate and 

 reticulate. Sepals veiy obtuse. Corolla about 3 lines diameter, with small 

 broad fleshy scales turned inwards, alternating with the lobes. Stigma broadly 

 and obtusely conical, projecting beyond the stamens. Follicles hard, about 

 3 in. long, broad and angular near the base. — G. sylvedre, var. elimenm, 

 Benth. in Kew Journ. Bot. v. 54. 



Near the Hongkong Magazine Guard, Champion ; also Wright, and on the adjacent conti- 

 nent, but not known out of S. China. The Wallichian specimens described by Decaisne 

 were from the Botanic Garden of Calcutta, introduced from China. The common Indian 

 G. syhestre, to which with Hooker and Arnott I had referred this species, is well distin- 

 guished by Decaisne, differing in the pubescence, fSrra, and venation of the leaves, the more 

 dense inflorescence, the shape of the scales of the corolla, and the slender follicles. 



8. PENTASACMEj Wall. 



Corolla nearly rotate, with linear lobes much longer than the tube, and 5 

 scales alternating with them. No staminal corona. Pollen-masses peUucid 

 at the top, afiixed near their base in pairs. Stigma conical or pointed. Folli- 

 cles slender. — Herbs, with a perennial .rhizome, and erect, usually simple 

 stems. Peduncles short, axillary, bearing an umbel of 3 or very few flowers. 



A genus containing besides the Chinese species only two from north-eastern India. 



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