72 



Ohservat'mis on Mudar. 



[Jan.. 



snrrouRcling the styles and ovaries. Anthers often ending in 

 a niemhranous pointy, resting on the stigma, each edge ex- 

 tended into a projecting angle or wing, (very conspicuous in 

 calotropis,) furnished within, with two pollen cells, opening 

 laterally. Pollen, with a few exceptions, composed of ll> 

 waxy looking masses, which when arrived at maturity are 

 attached either by their base or apex, (pendulous or erect) 

 in pairs, to 5 small, dark shining glands, pfoced on the 

 angles of the stigma, opposite to as many furrows (sulci) 

 between the wings of the anthers, (these furrows perform an 

 important function in the impregnation of the asclepiadese). 

 Ovaries two, superior, one celled, with numerous ovules, styles 

 united at the apex, into a single large stigma. Stigma 

 usually flattened or slightly convex, rarely terminating in a 

 lengthened beak. Fruit a follicle, or one ceiled capsule 

 opening on one side only. Seeds numerous, imbricated, 

 compressed, often bound by a membranous margin, and 

 with one or two exceptions, furnished with a tuft of down 

 at the apex. Plants milky, herhacious or shnibby, twining 

 or erect, leaves opposite, entire ; peduncles lateral (from 

 between the insertio7is of the leaves J, flowers usually 

 'umbelled. 



In addition to these more constant characters, the 

 staminal column is often furnished with 5 variously shaped 

 leaves. Nectaries Lin. — Htar.iinal crown Brown. They are 

 sometimes wanting on the stamens, and are then generally 

 found on the corolla, alternating with its lobes. When 

 present on the stamens, they are attached to the filaments. 

 They vary much in their form and mode of attachment 

 in diiierent genera, and afford good generic eharacters when 

 taken in connexion with the erect transverse or pendulous 

 position of the pollen masses, and often the best specific 

 distinctions. 



Such are the usual characters of tlie true ascle- 

 liiadecE. They differ from the Apocynece. , with which Jus- 

 sieu united them, principally in the form and structure of 

 their stamens and pollen, but approach them by a sub-order 

 FeriplocecB Brown, in which the pollen is granular, enclosed 

 n 5 membranous sacks opening outwards, and not attached 

 to the stigma by glands. 



