Sod Seta ag 
REPORT OF 
Pe 
a5 75. AL 
rae 
7 ugh 
) 3 : 
eer wey 
‘ ‘ 
_ COMMON MILKWEED (Asclepias cornuti). 
Be . An herbaceous plant with a perennial root, native of this country, 
although now spontaneous in many parts of Europe. The stems 
are erect and unbranched 2 or 3 feet high, and clothed with op- 
+ ag posite oblong leaves, with very short stalks, 4 or 6 inches long and with 
Bs . entire margins, soft and velvety on the lower side, with many prom- 
-_ jnent veins at right angles with the midrib, and connecting near the 
'. margin. The flowers are in large clusters, called umbels, proceeding 
' from the top and upper portion of the stem, each umbel supported 
ona thickish peduncle 2 to 4 inches in length. The individual flow- 
an inch in length. The flowers are less than half an inch long and 
of the peculiar structure common to the milkweed family. This 
_ will be best explained by reference to the figure given. Usually only 
- one or two of these flowers mature fruit, which is an ovate pod about 
3 inches long and an inch thick, roughish, with weak protuberances, 
. 
_ lapping seeds, each with a crown of soft silky fibers, which seems to 
waft the seed in the air. 
of the Mississippi, has become exceedingly troublesome in some lo- 
: ’  calities asa weed. Its deep running perennial root-stocks are very 
_. tenacious of life, and spread rapidly, throwing up numerous stems. 
a, The plant is most troublesome in meadows and along roadsides, 
-. forming patches which check the growth of grass. Its seeds are 
-_. distributed by means of a tuft of silky hairs. The milky juice isa 
| popular remedy with children for warts. The young shoots are used 
_ by some as a substitute for asparagus. The plant has a strong fiber, 
_ which some have attempted to utilize. 
This plant is subject in some localities to the attacks of a fungus, 
which checks its growth and gives ita sickly yellow appearance. 
. 
« 
Me 
plants, if badly affected, fail to blossom, and send up numerous slen- 
| der shoots, reminding one of the ‘‘ yellows” in peaches. The exter- 
- maination of the plant requires careful cultivation throughout the 
entire season, after which it will not be found difficult to prevent its 
- _ becoming again established. (Plate VII.) 
CURSED CROWFOOT (Ranunculus sceleratus). a 
X, A low herbaceous plant of the Buttercup family with a smooth, 
.. thickish, spongy stem, much branched above. The lower leaves are 
_- one-half inch in diameter, deeply three-lobed, with the lobes coarsely 
_. and obtusely toothed; the upper leaves become narrower and less 
divided, or almost linear and undivided. The flowers are very nu- 
og merous and small, on pedicels half an inch to aninchin length. The 
heads of carpels or fruit are, when mature, about half an inch long, 
‘densely crowded with the minute seeds. The plant attains a height 
-. of afoot ortwo. Itisa native of Europe, but has been widely dis- 
ie tributed over the world. It is found mainly in ditches and other 
~ ‘wet places. The name was not given by reason of any extreme 
_ ‘froublesomeness as a weed, but on account of the acrid and biting 
character of the juice. This is so irritating that if applied to the 
THE BOTANIST. 307. 
- but soft and velvety, and filled with a multitude of small! flat over-_ 
. ‘This best known of our milkweeds, north of Tennessee and east 
light yellow petals are less than one-fourth inch in length. The 
ig Tl ig ae Bid oad a eke ere a 
sara Dp RG sae ES ERAN St cm 
PORTA NG. Pi Ge Te ee EEN, 
. “~~ 
sh GOT ra 
ers, 20 to 40 in each cluster, are supported on slender pedicels about ' 
The affected leaves usually become revolute at the margin, and the - 
skin it will readily produce blisters. Notwithstanding this fact, if 
nt ; yi y 
7 
