A SET of 58 characters was recorded comparatively for a sample of 76 species belonging to 31genera of the Asclepiadaceae R.Br. The characters cover variation among the species in gross vegetative morphology, floral features and structure of the pollination apparatus. The data-matrix was analyzed using a combination of the Jaccard measure of dissimilarity and Ward's method of clustering in the PC-ORD version 5. Two major groups are recognized in this treatment, the first comprises representative genera of the Asclepiadoideae, while the second is split into two subordinate groups corresponding to the Periplocoideae and the Secamonoideae. Tacazzia seems better removed from the Periplocoideae and placed in the Asclepiadoideae. The generic concept in the family is taxonomically sound; only representative species of Cynanchum were divided between two closely related low-level groups. The currently accepted tribes and subtribes in Schumann's classification are in need of thorough revision; only the Secamonoideae-Secamoneae emerged intact.

M ANUAlly-constructed keys to many groups of the Egyptian flora are in urgent need of improvement and updating. To construct a conventional substitute of the key to representatives of the lamiaceae, a data matrix was compiled to include 48 characters recorded for each of the 52 species (with three subspecies and one variety) belonging to 24 genera which represent this family in the flora of Egypt. The 48 characters were accurately defined to cover as much of the easily observable aspects of vegetative and floral variation in the plants as possible. The data matrix was analyzed using the key-generating package of programs DElTA. The analysis produced a conventional key with a detailed description of every species in terms of the 48 characters. The key is decidedly a marked improvement over its predecessors in that it is strictly comparative. Updating the nomenclature of the plants led to the first recording of the genus Thymbra in the flora of Egypt.