Tylophora
(from tylos, a swelling, and phoreo, to bear; probably in reference to the coronal lobes). Including Hybanthera. ORD. Asclepiadeae. A genus comprising about forty species of stove, twining or rarely sub-erect sub-shrubs or herbs, inhabiting tropical and sub-tropical Africa, Asia, and Australia, New Caledonia, and Norfolk Island. Flowers rather small, sometimes minute; calyx deeply five-cleft or five-parted; corolla tube short, sub-rotate, deeply five-cleft, the lobes rather broad; coronal lobes five, fleshy; cymes umbelliform or shortly racemose. Leaves opposite. The species are not very ornamental. Only three call for description here; they are all twining sub-shrubs. For culture, see Hoya.
T. asthmatica (anti-asthmatic). East Indian Ipecacuanha. fl. green, rather large, on long pedicels; corolla segments acute, peduncles shorter than the leaves, bearing two or three sessile, few-flowered umbels towards the apex. November. l. ovate or nearly round, acuminate, often cordate at base, glabrous above; petioles glandless, sub-terete. h. 5ft. India, 1814. (B. M. Pl. 177; B. M. 1929, under name of Cynanchum viridiflorum.) T. barbata (bearded). fl. dingy-purple, not numerous, in one or rarely two umbels; corolla 3/4in. broad, slightly bearded inside. July. l. on slender petioles, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acute, not cordate, 1in. to 2in. long. h. 10ft. Australia, 1822.
T. grandiflora (large-flowered). fl. purple, one to three on a short, interpetiolar peduncle; corolla 1in. across, the lobes obtuse. July. l. on slender petioles, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, shortly and acutely acuminate, more or less cordate, 1in. to 2in. long, pubescent. h. 10ft. Australia, 1822.