N. ORD.—ASCLEPIADACES:. 134 
Tribe.—ASCLEPIADEA. 
GENUS.—ASCLEPIAS,* L. 
SEX. SYST.—PENTANDRIA, DIGYNIA. 
ASGLEPEAS CORNY FE 
COMMON MILK WEED. 
SYN.—ASCLEPIAS SYRIACA,; LINN. A. CORNOUTI, DEC. 
COM. NAMES.—COMMON MILKWEED, SILKWEED, WILD COTTON, 
VIRGINIAN SWALLOW-WORT; (FR.), ASCLEPIADE A LA SOIE, 
HERBE A LA OUATE; (GER.) SCHWALBENWURZEL, SEIDEN- 
PFLANZE. 
A TINCTURE OF THE FRESH ROOT OF ASCLEPIAS CORNUTI, DEC. 
Description.—This stout, upright, perennial herb, grows from 4-5 feet high, is 
leafy to the top, and bears superior lateral as well as terminal umbels of dusky 
red flowers. 
The root extends horizontally to a length of from 1-2 feet, is externally of a 
grayish-brown color, somewhat branched, and from one-quarter to one inch thick, 
giving off a few scattered rootlets, or is marked by their scars; it is often knotty 
from branches that have failed to develop. It has no specific odor, but is decidedly 
bitter to the taste. It breaks with a short fracture when dry, disclosing a soft, 
porous, yellow-tinged wood, with broad medullary rays and a thin white bark. The 
stem is simple, or nearly so, cylindrical, stout and smooth, emitting when wounded 
a copious, white, mucilaginous juice which soon congeals. The /eaves are about 
4-8 inches in length, oppositely arranged upon the stem, oval-oblong, entire, 
slightly pointed and short petioled ; they are of a dark rich green color above, pale 
and minutely downy beneath. Inflorescence, many-flowered umbels, upon 
long, drooping, downy peduncles, from the base of the petioles of the upper 
leaves. The calyx and corolla are deeply 5-parted, reflexed, and spreading, 
the former persistent, the latter deciduous. The crown consists of 5 hooded, 
fleshy bodies (termed nectaries by Linnzus), situated upon the stamen tube, each 
containing an incurved horn. Specifically these hoods are ovate, obtuse, having 
a tooth or lobe upon each side of the horn, which is short and _ claw-like. 
Stamens 5, inserted upon the base of the corolla; //aments united into a tube in- 
closing the pistil; anthers adherent to the stigma (forming a distinguishing © 
feature of this large order of plants, of which Asclepias is the type) ; they are 
composed of two vertical cells, tipped with a membrane-like appendage, each con- 
taining a flattened, pear-shaped, waxy, pollen-mass. Ovaries 2, tapering into ee 
-® The Greek name of Aésculapius, to whom it is dedicated. 
- } Syria; but as this is a purely American species, we should 
Sey Adee 
use the name Ly Decaisne. os 
