Class V. Order II. 



to a great number of plants. The flowers have the property 

 of catching flies. Common about thickets. July. 



75. ASCLEPIAS. 

 AscLEriAs SYRIACA. L, Common Silk weed or Milk weed. 



Stem simple ; leaves lance-oblong, gradually 

 acute, downy underneath ; umbels somewhat nod- 

 ding. Mich. 



Very common by road sides and borders of fields. Stem 

 three or four feet high, undivided. Leaves opposite, large, ob- 

 Jong. Umbels of flowers lateral and terminal, nodding. The 

 pods or follicles contain large quantities of a fine silken down 

 attached to the seeds, for which the plant has been cultivated in 

 Europe and America. It is used as a substitute for feathers, 

 fur, cotton, Sec. July. Perennial. 



ASCLEPIAS OBTUSIFOLIA. J\Iich. Blunt leaved silk weed. 



Leaves closely sessile, oblong, obtuse, waved : 

 umbel terminal, on a long peduncle ; corollas 

 smooth. Mich. abr. 



Leaves opposite, ovate, heart shaped at base, sessile, appar- 

 ently clasping, very much waved on the margin, obtuse at the 

 end, mucronated. Stem erect, supporting a terminal umbel of 

 large flowers at a distance from the leaves. Cambridge, Sweet 

 Auburn. July. Perennial. 



ASCLEPIAS PURPURASCENS. Purple silk weed. 



Leaves ovate, villous underneath ; stem simple ; 

 umbels erect ; nectaries resupinate. Mill. 



Stem upright ; leaves oblong, rather acute, on short pe- 

 tioles ; umbels terminal, erect ; corollas dark purple ; horns of 

 the nectary bent horizontally inward. Cambridge, on the Con- 

 cord turnpike.- July. Perennial. 



