280 ASCLEPIADACEAE. 



carpels, or 1-celled with 2 parietal placentae, or 2-celled; 

 ovules few or numerous; style simple or 2-divided; 

 stigma simple. Fruit of 2 follicles or drupes. Seeds 

 often appendaged by a coma; endosperm present; 

 embryo straight. 



1. APOCYNUM L. Dogbane. 



Perennial herbs with opposite leaves and small white 

 or pink flowers in terminal and sometimes axillary 

 corymbed cymes. Calyx-lobes acute. Corolla cam- 

 panulate, the tube beading within 5 small triangular 

 appendages alternate with the stamens. Stamens in- 

 serted on the base of the corolla; anthers sagittate, con- 

 nivent around the stigma and slightly adherent to it. 

 Disk 5-lobed. Ovary of 2 distinct carpels; ovules 

 numerous in each carpel; stigma ovoid, obtuse, obscurely 

 2-lobed. Follicles slender, elongated, terete. Seeds 

 small, tipped with a large coma. 



1. A. cannabinum L. (Indian Hemp.) Root deep, vertical; 

 stem much branched, the branches erect or ascending, glabrous or 

 nearly so, more or less glaucous; leaves oblong or lanceolate-oblong 

 to ovate-oblong, acute or obtuse and mucronate at apex, narrowed 

 or rounded at base, glabrous above, sometimes pubescent beneath, 

 5-15 cm. long; petioles 2-12 mm. long or sometimes none; cymes 

 dense; pedicels short, bracteolate at the base; flowers 5-7 mm. 

 broad; calyx-lobes about equaling the tube of the greenish white 

 corolla; corolla-lobes nearly erect; follicles about 10 cm. long, nar- 

 rowed at the apex. 



Occasional in moist places along streams. 



Family 85. ASCLEPIADACEAE. Milkweed Family. 



Perennial herbs, vines or shrubs, mostly with milky 

 juice, opposite verticillate or alternate exstipulate leaves, 

 and mostly umbellate perfect regular flowers. Calyx- 

 tube very short, its segments imbricated or separate in 

 the bud. Corolla 5-lobed or 5-cleft, the segments com- 

 monly reflexed. A 5-lobed or 5-parted crown (corona) 

 between the corolla and the stamens and adherent to 

 one or the other. Stamens 5, inserted on the corolla; 

 filaments short, stout, mostly monadelphous or distinct; 



