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 ON THE ASCLUPIADEyE. 229

in the Banksian collection. Apocynum cordatum and lan- ceolatum, Thunb. prod., probably likewise belong to the genus ; and I have modified the character, to admit a very remarkable plant, found by Mr. Masson in South Africa, the stem of which is shrubby with spinescent branches, the leaves extremely minute, opposite, distant, and heartshaped ; the corolla rather urceolate than bellshaped ; the orifice of the tube furnished with deflected hairs ; the masses of pollen are fixed by their attenuated apices ; the stigma is blunt ; the folliculi nearly cylindrical and smooth, with seeds of the usual structure. The whole genus is evidently [55 very near akin to Microloma, and differs chiefly in the want of squamae within the tube. They might, therefore, be united ; but this would lead to the junction also of Meta- stelma, a native of the West India Islands, which I am unwilling to join with these South African plants.

II.

Massce pollinis 20, laeves, quaternatim (duabus antheris pertinentes), affixse apici corpusculorum exsulcorum stig- matis.

Mlamenta connata, extus appendiculata.

SECAMONE. [Periplocse sp. Linn.

Char. Corolla rotata.

Corona staminea 5phylla.

Massce pollinis erectse quaternatim afflxae apici corpusculi subsimilis, exsulci stigmatis.

Stigma apice coarctato.

Folliculi

Habitus. Frutices erecti v. volubiles, glabri. Folia opposita. Cymce dichotomae, interpetiolares. Flores minuti.

Patria. Africa, India Orientalis, et Nova Hollandia tropica.

Obs. Erom the extreme minuteness of the parts, no genus

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