ASCLEPIADACEAE 235 



bracts at base ; cordla bright purple; crown pale red; follicles 4 or 5 inches long. 

 Hob. Fence-rows ; old fields, Ac : frequent. Fl. June. Fr. Sept. 



4. A variejjata, L. Leaves ovate, oval, or obovate, sub- 

 glaucous beneath ; umbels subterminal, rather dense-flowered. 

 VARIEGATED ASCLEPIAS. 



Stem 2 to 3 feet high, sub-eimple, often with a short horizontal branch at sum* 

 mit, nearly smooth. Leaves 3 to 5-inches long, mostly rather acute, and mucronate, 

 the lower ones rounded and emarginate ; petioles % an inch to % in length. 

 Umbels few (1 to 3 or 4) ; common peduncles % an inch to 1% inches long ; pedicels % 

 an inch to % in length, with setaceous bracts at base ; corolla greenish externally, 

 white within; crown white, purple at base; follicles 4 to 5 inches long. 

 Hab. Woodlands; slaty hills: frequent. Fl. June. Fr. Sept. 

 ft. A; ciuaclrif itlia, Jacq. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 

 the middle ones in a whorl of 4; umbels terminal, loose. 

 FOUR-LEAVED ASCLEPIAS. 



Stem 18 inches to 2 or 3 feet high, slender, smooth, with a pubescent line. Leaves 

 2 to 5 inches long, all opposite except a whorl of 4 at the middle of the stem, thin 

 and membranous ; petioles % to % an inch in length. Umbels mostly 2, sometimes 

 solitary ; common peduncles 1 to 2 or 3 inches long ; pedicels about an inch long, 

 flaccid, with subulate caducous bracts at base ; corolla white ; crown whitish, with 

 a tinge of purple at base ; fottides 3 to 5 inches long, slender, smooth. 

 Hob. Eich woodlands ; fence-rows, &c.: frequent. Fl. May. Fr. Aug. 



6. A. Obtusif 61ia, MX. Leaves ovate-oblong, or elliptic, obtuse, 

 sessile and somewhat clasping ; umbel mostly solitary, on a long 

 terminal peduncle. 

 OBTUSE-LEAVED ASCLEPIAS. 



Stem 2 to 3 or 4 feet high, smooth. Leaves 4 or 5 inches long, often emarginate, 

 mucronate, wayy on the margin and somewhat auriculate at base, smooth, 

 glaucous beneath. Umbel many-flowered, on a common peduncle 6 or 8 inches in. 

 length ; pedicels about an inch long, with lance-linear ciliate bracts at base ; corolla 

 greenish-purple ; crown purple, the hoods truncate, somewhat 5-toothed ; foUicUs 

 4 or 5 inches long, smoothish. 

 Hob. Dry, slaty hills : not very common. FL June. Fr. Aug. 



y. A. riibra, L. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acuminately tapering 



to a sharp point, subsessile ; umbels terminal (often solitary), on 



long peduncles. 



A. laurifolia. MX. $ Fl. Cestr. ed. 2. p. 171. 



RED ASCLEPIAS. 



Stem 1% to 2 feet high, slender, smooth, with a pubescent line. Leaves 3 to 5 

 inches long, in distant pairs, smooth, scabrous-ciliate on the margin ; petioles 

 scarcely ^ of an inch long. Umbel usually solitary, sometimes 1 or 2 subter- 

 minal additional ones ; common peduncle 2 to 3 inches long; pedicels about an inch 

 in length, with subulate bracts at base; corolla yellowish-green externally, red- 

 dish-purple within ; crown purple, tinged with greenish-orange ; fottides 3 to 4 

 inches long, nearly smooth. 

 Hob. North Valley Hill : rare. Fl. July. Fr. Sept. 



** Stems paniculately branching. 



8. A. i iicarnata, L. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, acute, obtuse 

 at base, petiolate ; umbels numerous, terminal and subterminal. 

 FLESH-COLORED ASCLEPIAS. 



