Class V. Order II. 103 



neath. Umbels somewhat nodding on rather long peduncles, given 

 off at the upper pairs of leaves. Involucre irregular, of short 

 linear leafets. Flowers large. Petals green. Nectaries white 

 or Hesh coloured, truncated obliquely outward, and toothed at 

 the top inside, with long horns curving inward. Mass of an- 

 thors cylindrical, green with black dots, * ,yhite on the summit 

 At thp top of the wings of the anthers are five minute black cor- 

 puscles, which, being drawn out with a pin, bring with them 

 pairs of vellow, narrow obovate pollen masses. Low grounds. 

 June. Perennial. 



ASCLEPIAS PURPURASCENS. TJ. Dark flowered Silk weed. 

 Stem nearly simple ; leaves ovate, hairy beneath : 

 corymbs erect ; horns of the nectary resupinate. 



This species is well defined by the peculiar curvature of the 

 horn. Stem erect, smooth, with a barely perceptible down, 

 slightly branched at top, three or four feet high. Leaves oppo- 

 site, glabrous above, paler and downy beneath, the midrib pur- 

 ple above. Umbels terminal, on stout footstalks with flowers 

 about the size of A. Syrinca. Calyx small, very acute. Corolla 

 reflexed, acute, of a dark crimson purple, sometimes lighter if 

 the plant grows in the sun. Nectaries of the same colour, trun- 

 cated very obliquely inward, the horns bent inward at a right 

 angle so close to the stigma that they appear at first view to be 

 wanting. Mass of anthers greenish, variegated with brown, and 

 about half as long as the nectaries. 111 different soils, Cam- 

 bridge, Newton, rare. July. Perennial. 



ASCLEPIAS PULCHRA. IVilld. Water Silk weed. 



Leaves lanceolate, pubescent underneath ; stem 



divided toward the top ; umbels erect, in pairs. 



mild 



Common in wet ground, by the sides of ponds, &c. Stems 

 eommonly in bunches, erect, downy, subdivided near the top. 

 Leaves lanceolate, tapering to a very acute point, sometimes 

 hairy on both sides, as is also the stem. Umbels many, small, on 

 downy peduncles. Involucre many leaved, deciduous. Flowers 

 small, half the size of A. Syriaca. Corolla crimson-purple, acute. 

 Nectaries paler, truncated obliquely inwards, almost to their 



