460 CII. ASCLEPIADACEiE. Acerates. 



/?. lanceolata. Decaisne. Lvs. lanceolate, acuminate, acute at base and nar- 

 rowed into the petiole. — Ohio, "la., Dr. Plummer ! 



7. A. PARViFLORA. Ph. (A. debilis. Mx.) Small-flov.^ered Asclepias. 

 Sufliutescent and branched at base,- sis. ascending, terete, smooth; lvs. 



lanceolate, attenuate at base and apex, petiolate, smooth l30th sides, thin ; 'ped. 

 shorter than the leaves, umbellate, man3'-flo\vered ; umbels small, pubescent ; 

 corolla 3 or 4 times shorter than the pedicels; hams filiform, acute. — Avery 

 delicate species, with small, white flowers. Woods, along rivers, N. Y. to Ga., 

 W. to la. ! Stems olten clustered, IJ — 3f high, very leaty. Leaves 4 — 6' (in- 

 cluding the 1' petiole) by 1 — IJ'. Umbels several, 1' diam., 15 — 20-flowerea. 

 July, Aug. 



8. A. VARiEGATA. (A. hybrida. Michx.) 



St. simple, erect, pubescent ; lvs. ovate or obovate, mucronate, glabrous, 

 glaucous beneath ; ped. lateral or terminal, one-third as long as the leaves, um- 

 bellate, many-flowered ; cor. segments ovate ; corona segments rounded at apex ; 

 horns broad-falcate, with the apex horizontal or sul:)erect ; follicles oblong, with 

 a long and slender point, minutely puberulent. — Woods, N. Y. to Carolina. Stem 

 3 — 4f high. Leaves with a slight acumination, at length slightly undulate. 

 Umbels about 2, 20 — 30-flowered. Corolla white, slightly tinged with purple. 



9. A. PAUPERCULA. Michx. (A. laurifolia. Ph. not Mx. A. lanceolata. 



Wall.) — St. virgate, erect, glabrous ; lvs. linear and linear-oblong, mar- 

 gin narrowly revolute, both sides glabrous, tapering into a short petiole; ped. 1 

 or 2 at top of the stem, umbel puberulent, few-flowered ; corona segments ovate, 

 dilated above ; horns short, included. — N. J. to La. in wet woods. Stem 3 — 4f 

 high, very smooth. Leaves green on both sides, rough on the edges, mostly 

 very narrow. Flowers greenish-red, petals linear-oblohg, half as long as the 

 pedicel. 



10. A. RUBRA. (A. laurifolia. Mx. A. aciuninata. Ph. A. periplocaefolia. Nutt.) 

 St. simple, erect ; lvs. ovate-acuminate, very acute, subcordate or roimded 



at base, subsessile, glabrous ; umbels on long, mostly terminal peduncles ; corona 

 segments acute, rather longer than the suberect honis. — A small and elegant 

 species, in Perm., N. J. to Car., not common. Stem 1 — 2f high, with a pubes- 

 cent line on one side. Leaves 3 — 5' by 1 — 2', in remote pairs, the upper some- 

 times alternate. Pedimcles 1 — 5, 2 — 3' long, pedicels about 1'. Flowers green- 

 ish-purple. Follicles ventricose-acuminate, smoothish. July, Aug. 

 * Leaves alternate. 



11. A. TUBERosA. Tuber-root Asclepias. Butterfly Weed. 



St. ascending, hairy, with spreading branches at top ; lvs. alternate, ob- 

 long-lanceolate, sessile ; umbels numerous, forming large, terminal corymbs. — 

 Found in sandy fields. Can. and U. S., rare in N. Eng. Root large, fleshy, 

 sending up numerous stems. These are about 2f high, Jeafy, erect or ascend- 

 ing, hairy and colored. Leaves hairy, scattered, only the upper ones quite ses- 

 sile, lanceolate, acute or acuminate, obtuse at base, 2 — 4' by § — V. The co- 

 rymb consists of numerous, bright orange-colored flowers. Petals 5, oblong, 

 reflexed, concealing the small calyx. Pods or follicles lanceolate, pointed, and 

 like the other species, containing long, silky down, uniting the flat, ovate seeds 

 to the placentae. Aug. — Medicinal. 



* * Leaves verticillate. 



12. A. VERTiciLLATA. WhoTl-lcaved Asclepias. 



St. erect, simple, marked with pubescent lines ; lvs. generally verticillate, 

 very narrowly linear, revolute ; segs. of the corona short, 2-toothed, horn falcate, 

 exsert. — A slender and delicate species, 2f high, in swamps or moist meadows, 

 Can. and U. S. Leaves in whorls of 4 — 6, 3--5' long and a line in width. 

 Flowers small, greenish-white, in small, lateral umbels. Peduncles half a.v 

 .ong as the leaves. July. 



2. ACERATES. Ell. 

 Gt. a, privative, Kcpare;, homs ; the corona being destitute of these processes. 



Calyx 5-parted ; cor. deeply 5-parted, limb spreading or reflexed ; 



