Wild Plants in the Vicinity of Boston. 369 



difficult task of rendering these descriptions at once exact, 

 concise and familiar, must be left for others to decide. 



The plants may be divided into two classes, viz., Herbor 

 ceous Plants, and Flowering Shrubs. First, 



HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 



[N. B. All these plants are perennial, except where notice is given 

 to the contrary.] 



Antirrhinum. 



Antirrhinum, linaria Willd. Snap Dragon. A beautiful plant, 

 from one to two feet high, with numerous branches. Flow- 

 ers yellow, or sulphur color, shaped like those of the com- 

 mon snap dragon, and growing in a long spike. — Common 

 by road-sides; perhaps exotic. — Blossoms in July and August. 



Aquilegia. 



AquiUgia canadensis Willd. Columbine. Blossoms scarlet 

 without, and yellow within. More delicate than the common 

 garden columbines, but resembling them in general appear- 

 ance. — Dry hills, rocks, and pastures. — Flowers in April and 

 May. 



Arethusa. 



Arethusa hulhosa Bulbous Arethusa. The root of this 

 beautiful plant is a bulb. Stem two-leaved, and from eight to 

 twelve inches high. Petals five, of a bright crystaline pur- 

 ple, cucullate or curved forward, three exterior and two inte- 

 rior. — Wet meadows, Brookline, West Cambridge. — May, 

 June. 



ASCLEPIAS. 



Of this genus we have many species, all of which have 

 a family likeness to the Asclepias syriaca, or common milk 

 weed. 



Asclepias amxna. Stem undivided, from two to three feet 

 high, and a little hairy or pubescent on two sides. Leaves 

 oval, short stemmed, pubescent or hairy beneath. Blossoms 

 in many flowered upright umbels, or umbrella-formed clusters, 

 at the top of the plant. Flowers of a dark peach blossom 

 color. — Damp places; near Newton Theological Seminary. 

 — July, August. 



Asclepias incarndta. Stem erect, branching above, downy. 

 Flowers crimson purple, half the size of those of common 

 milk weed. Leaves lance formed, rather downy both sides. 

 Umbels mostly double at their origin. A variety, pulchra, 

 is more delicate, more hairy, and has its leaves sharper 

 pointed, and with shorter stems. — Sides of ponds, &.c. — ^July. 



VOL. I. NO. X. XX 



