498 ASCLEPIADACEAE 
4. A. rubra, L. (Fig. 6, pl. 123.) Rep Mitkweep. Plant with few 
if any hairs, stem 1 to 4 ft. high, few if any branches. Leaves opposite, 
2 to 6 in. long, egg-shaped to lance-shaped, the base rounded, apex taper- 
ing to a very sharp point, on very short leaf-stalks or none, bright green. 
Umbels terminal of many purplish-red flowers, the incurved horns long 
and slender. Pods slender, spindle-shaped, about 4 in. long. Moist soil, 
southern part of our area. June-July. 
5. A. purpurascens, L. (Fig. 4, pl. 123.) Purpre MILkweep. Stem 
rather stout, with few if any branches, slightly downy or free from hairs, 
2 to 4 ft. high. Leaves opposite, elliptic or oblong, the upper ones taper 
pointed, base of all rounded or narrowed, the under side downy, upper 
smooth, on short leaf-stalks, 3 to 8 in. long. Flowers in terminal umbels, 
color deep purple. Pods 4 to 5 in. long, downy, nearly erect. Dry grounds, 
New Hampshire and northward. June-Aug. 
6. A. incarnata, L. Swamp MILKweep. Stem 2 to 3 ft. high, smooth 
or slightly downy, very leafy, branching or rarely without branches. 
Leaves opposite, lance-shaped, sharply tapering at each end or somewhat 
rounded at base, 3 to 6 in. long. Flowers light purple or rarely white, 
horns of the crown longer than the hoods, slender, needle-pointed. Pod 
2 to 3% in. long, slender. Common in swamps. 
7. A. pulchra, Ehrh. (Fig. 6, pl. 124.) Harry Mirkweep. Similar 
to No. 5, but leaves are broader and more rounded or slightly heart- 
shaped at base and the under surface of leaves is decidedly velvety. 
Flowers light red, pink or white. Moist fields throughout our area. July: 
Sept. 
8. A. obtusifolia, Michx. (Fig. 7, pl. 124.) Biunt-LEAveD MILK- 
WEED. (A. amplexicaulis, Sm.) Stem 2 to 3 ft. high. Leaves oblong, 
usually wavy, very blunt at apex and base, on very short leaf-stalks or 
clasping at base, 24 to 5 in. long. Flowers green-purple, in a many- 
flowered terminal umbel. Dry fields throughout our area. May-Aug. 
9. A. exaltata, Muhl. (Fig. 4, pl. 124.) Tarn MirKweep. POKE 
MILKWEED. (A. phytolaccoides, Pursh.) Stem 3 to 6 ft. high, with 2 
downy lines. Leaves opposite, oval or egg-shaped, thin, tapering at each 
end, 4 to 9 in. long, 14 to 4 in. wide, the lower sometimes broadest to- 
ward the apex, sometimes downy beneath. Umbels terminal and from 
the leaf-axils. Flowers greenish with white crown. Horns each with a 
long projecting slender point. Moist thickets and woods. June-Aug. 
10. A. variegata,L. (Fig. 2, pl. 124.) Waite Mirxweep. Stem 1 
to 2 ft. high, somewhat downy above when young. Leaves opposite, thick, 
egg-shaped, oval, or pear-shaped, sometimes about the middle of the stem 
whorled, rather blunt at each end, the margins wavy or toothed, 3 to 6 
in. long, on leaf-stalks about } in. long. Flowers in 1 to 4 compact termi- 
nal umbels or rarely also in one or two lateral umbels, white with purple 
or purplish crown. Dry woods, southern part of our area. June-July. 
ll. A. quadrifolia, Jacq. (Fig. 5, pl. 124.) Four-LeAvep MILKWEED. 
Stem slender, 1 to 2 ft. high, mostly leafless below or with a pair of egg- 
shaped leaves at lower third, with one or two whorls of 4 or 5 leaves about 
the middle and sometimes one or two pairs of leaves immediately below 
or above these whorls. Leaves of the whorls more or less broadly lance- 
