Class V. Order II. 101 



or procumbent, round, hairy, green or red. Leaves scattered, 

 the lower ones pedunculate^, the upper ones sessile. They 

 are narrow, oblong-, hairy, obtuse at base, waved on the edge, 

 and in the old plants sometimes revolute. The stem usually di- 

 vides at top into from two to four branches, which give off 

 crowded umbels from their upper side. The involucrum con- 

 sisis of numerous short subulate leafets. Flowers numerous, 

 erect, of a beautifully bright orange colour. Calyx much small- 

 er than the corolla, h've parted, the segments subulate, reflexed, 

 and concealed by the corolla. Corolla five parted, reflexed, the 

 segments oblong. The nectary or stamineal crown is formed of 

 five erect cucullate leaves or cups, with an oblique mouth, hav- 

 ing a small incurved acute horn proceeding from the base of the 

 cavity of each, and meeting at the centre of the flower. The 

 mass of stamens is a tougb, horny, somewhat pyramidal sub- 

 stance, separable into five anthers. Each of these is bordered 

 by membranous, reflected edges, contiguous to those of the next, 

 and terminated by a membranous, reflected summit. Internally 

 they have two cells. The pollen forms ten distinct, yellowish, 

 transparent bodies, of a flat and spatulate form, ending in curved 

 filaments, which unite them by pairs to a minute dark tubercle 

 at top. Each pair is suspended in the cells of two adjoining an- 

 thers, so that if a needle be inserted between the membranous 

 edges of two anthers and forced out at top, it carries with it a 

 pair of the pollen masses. Pistils two, completely concealed 

 within the mass of anthers. Germs ovate, with erect styles. 

 The fruit, as in other species, is an erect lanceolate follicle on a 

 sigmoid peduncle. In this it is green with a reddish tinge and 

 downy. Seeds ovate, flat, margined, connected to the receptacle 

 by long silken hairs. Receptacle longitudinal, loose, chaffy. 

 Dry soil. Woburn, Newton. August. Perennial. 



ASCLEPIAS SYRIACA. L. Common Silk weed or Milk tveed. 

 Stem simple ; leaves lance-oblong, gradually acute^ 

 downy underneath ; umbels somewhat, nodding ; fol- 

 licles muricate. 



Very common by road sides and borders of fields. Stem three 

 or four feet high, undivided. Leaves opposite, large, oblong. 

 Umbels of flowers lateral and terminal, nodding. Calyx segments 



