Class V. Order II. 63 



ASCLEPIAS PULCHRA. Willd. Water silk weed. 



Leaves lanceolate, pubescent underneath ; stem 

 divided toward the top ; umbels erect, in pairs. 

 Willd. 



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

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

 Leaves lanceolate, tapering to a very acute point, downy on the 

 under side. Umbels many, small, on downy peduncles. Flow- 

 ers purple. July. Perennial. 



The bark is very strong and fibrous. 



ASCLEPIAS TUBEROSA. L. Butterfly iveed. Pleurisy roof. 



Leaves alternate, lanceolate ; stem divaricate, 

 hairy. L. 



Si/n. ASCLEPIAS DECUMBEXS. Walt. 



Stem upright or decumbent, hairy, branching at top. Leaves 

 scattered, oblong, or lanceolate, hairy. Umbels terminal. 

 Flowers deep orange colour. Grows at Wobum, and is fre- 

 quent in the interior of the state. July. Perennial. 



The root of this plant has considerable medicinal activity 

 See Dr. Barton's Materia Medica of the United States. 



ASOLEPIAS VERTICILLATA. L. Whorled Jlsclepia*. 



Leaves revolute, linear, whorled ; stem erect. L. 



This very neat species is altogether different in its habit from 

 those already described. Stem slender, marked with downy 

 stripes. Leaves in whorls of five or six, linear, revolute at the 

 margin, paler boneath. Umbels several, small, coming out 

 from among the upper whorls. Flowers white. On a hill 

 near the Dedham turnpike, Roxbury. July. -Perennial. 



