Page:Miscellaneousbot02brow.djvu/251

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ON THE APOCINE.E. 235

ring of the faux, and E. glandulosa Fl. Peruv. which ac- cording to the figure has a crown of 5 entire lacinise and the segments of the corolla equal-sided, must be excluded from this genus. E. siphilitica, the specimen of which in the Linnean Herbarium I have seen but not sufficiently examined, is somewhat doubtful. E. noribunda, corymbosa and spicata are removed to another genus. The two re- markable species of South Africa, E. bispinosa and succu- lenta, require further examination ; for their peculiar habit indicates their being a distinct genus from Echites, which it would be desirable to limit to the species of tropical America : hence it will be necessary to re-examine certain plants of India that in many respects agree with this genus, especially Tsjeria-pupal-valli of Bheed, Mai. 7, p. 103, /. 55, which appears to differ from Echites chiefly in having a calyx longer than the tube of the corolla, in the scales sur- rounding the ovarium being united, (which, however, is [6i also the case in E. Domingensis,) and in the greater quan- tity and density of the albumen, which is between fleshy and cartilaginous.

The authors of the " Elora Peruviana " have reformed the character of Echites, but the scales which they describe between the calyx and corolla will certainly not materially assist in distinguishing this genus from those most nearly related to it ; and I have observed a nearly similar struc- ture in most of the genera of this family, as well as of Asclepiadeae : these scales, however, truly belong to the calyx, and are either five or ten in number, or more rarely consist of an uninterrupted series of cilise, not unlike those which so frequently occur within the footstalks of the leaves. My observations are not sufficiently numerous to enable me to determine whether their modifications might not gene- rally assist in characterizing genera, and I have, therefore, very seldom had recourse to them.

ICHNOCARPUS.

Char. Corolla hypocrateriformis,limbi laciniis diraidiatis, fauce tuboque esquamatis.

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