﻿BiCKNELL : Ferns and flowering plants of Nantucket 35 



*Apocynum medium Greene. 



This species, the most characteristic dogbane of Nantucket, 

 is frequent about the borders of thickets or in open ground 

 throughout the eastern side of the island from Monomoy to 

 Squam and Siasconset and on the South Pasture. On the western 

 side I have seen it only by the roadside near Maxcy's Pond. 

 Leaves beginning to unfold June 2, 1909; just in flower June 29, 

 1912, and still in flower July 11. It exhibits pronounced varia- 

 tions, developing both narrow-leaved and broad-leaved forms, and 

 varies from nearly glabrous to almost hoary pubescent. The 

 leaves, sometimes as large as 11 cm. long and 6 cm. broad, are 

 commonly ovate-oblong and acute, but vary from ovate to lanceo- 

 late and tapering acute, to broadly oval, elliptic or oblong and 

 obtuse, and may be either narrowed, rounded or subcordate at 

 the base and subsessile or on slender petioles 8 mm. long. The 

 flowers are always more or less suffused with clear pink. In an 

 unusually pubescent form the corollas were puberulent on the 

 inner surface. 

 Apocynum cannabinum L. 



Not uncommon on the eastern side of the island from Polpis 

 to Pocomo and Squam. Just in flower July 4, 1912. Several 

 rather distinct varieties occur. One, found in dry soil near 

 Wawinet, has white, urceolate corollas 3-3.5 mm. long, the lobes 

 shorter than the tube, their tips finally spreading. A taller 

 variety with longer and narrower leaves on more slender petioles 

 becoming 12 mm. long, has greenish to definitely yellow corollas 

 4 mm. long with erect lobes the length of the tube, the bluish 

 green leaves glaucescent on the upper face; this grew luxuriantly 

 about a low meadow thicket in Squam. In yet another form with 

 short-lobed white corolla, the narrowly oblong leaves are very 

 short-petioled or subsessile and slightly narrowed to a cordate 

 base. In all of these forms the leaves are more or less pubescent 

 beneath and the cyme quite glabrous to slightly pubescent. 

 * Apocynum pubescens R. Br. 



Occurs sparingly in Squam. Not quite in flower June 15, 

 1908. Inflorescence and leaves beneath densely white tomentose; 

 the upper part of the stem and the younger leaves on the upper 



