460 CII. ASCLEPIADACEiE. Acerates, 



B 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-flowered Asclepias. 

 Suffrutescent and branched at base , sts. ascending, terete, smooth ; Ivs. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

 July, Aug. 



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



St simple erect, pubescent ; Ivs. 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; corwia segments rounded at apex; 

 horns broad-falcate, with the apex horizontal or suberect ; follidcs oblong, with 

 a Ion*' and slender point, minutely puberulent— Woods, N. Y. to Carohna. Stem 

 3— 4t'^hic^h 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 ; Ivs. 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. acuminata. Ph. A. periplocsefolia. NvU.) 

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

 at ba<^e subsessile, glabrous ; uinbels 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. Pedimcles 1—5, 2—3' long, pedicels about 1'. Flowers green- 

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



* Leo.ves alternate. 



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



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

 lon<'-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, ieafy, 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 *— 1'. The co- 

 rvmb 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. Whcrl-lcaved Asclepias. 



Sf. erect, simple, marked with pubescent lines ; Ivs. 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 as 

 long as the leaves. July. 



2. ACERATES. Ell. 

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



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



