460 CII. ASCLEPIADACEiE. Acerates. 



0. lanceolata. Decaisne. Lis. lanceolate, acuminate, acute at base and nar- 

 rowed into the petiole. — Ohio, la.. Dr. Plummcr ! 



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

 Suffrutescent and branched at base j ^ts. ascending, terete, smooth ; Ivs. 



lanceolate, attenuate at base and apex, petiolate, smooth both sides, thin ; fed. 

 shorter than the leaves, umbellate, many-flowered ; umhels small, pubescent; 

 corolla 3 or 4 times shorter than the pedicels; horns filiform, acute. — A very- 

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

 W. to la. ! Stems often clustered, U — 3f high, very leafy. Leaves 4 — G' (in- 

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

 July, Aug, 



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



St. simple, erect, pubescent ; lis. 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 ; co/-y??« segments rounded at apex; 

 horns broad-falcate, with the apex horizontal or suberect ; 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 ; hs. linear and linear-oblong, mar- 

 gin narrowly revolute, both sides glabrous, tapering into a short petiole ; jicd. 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. acuminata. Ph. A. periplocsfolia. Nutt.) 

 St. simple, erect ; lis. ovate-acuminate, very acute, subcordate or rounded 



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

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

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

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

 times alternate. Peduncles 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; Ivs. alternate, ob- 

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

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

 sending up numerous stems. These are about 2f high, leafy, erect or a.scend- 

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

 sile', lanceolate, acute or acuminate, obtuse at base, 2 — 4' by i— 1'. The co- 

 ryrnb 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 vcrticillale. 

 12. A. vERTiciLLATA. \Vhorl-lcaved Asclepias. 



Sf. erect, simple, marked with pubescent lines ; Ivs. generally verticillate, 

 ver\' narrowly linear, revolute ; scgs. of the corona short, 2-toothed, horn falcate, 

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

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

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

 long as the leaves. July. 



2. ACERATES. Ell. 



Gr. a. privative, Kcparti.^ horns; the corona being destitute of these processes. 



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



