ASCLEPIADACE^. 



Nat. syst. ed. 2. p. 302. 



ASCLEPIAS. 



Calyx 5-cleft, very small. Corolla rotate, with a short tube 

 and a 5-parted flat or reflexed limb. Coronet of appendages 

 5-leaved ; leaves cucullate, fleshy, erect, with a horn proceeding 

 from within each. Pollen-masses attached by a taper point. 

 Stigma depressed, not pointed. 



1141. A. tuberosa Linn. sp. pi. 316. Bigelmo med. bot. ii. t. 26. 

 Bot. Reg. t. 76. Dry sandy soils, pine woods &c. in the United 

 States. (Butterfly weed, Pleurisy root.) 



Root large, fleshy, branching, and often somewhat fusiform. Stems 

 numerous, growing in bunches from the root, erect, ascending or pro- 

 cumbent, round, hairy, green or red. Leaves alternate, the lower pe- 

 dunculated, the upper sessile, narrow, oblong, hairy, obtuse at base, 

 waved on the edge, and in the old plants sometimes revolute. Umbels 

 at the ends of terminal branches. Involucre composed of numerous, 

 short, subulate, bracts. Flowers numerous, erect, of a beautifully 

 bright orange colour. Calyx much smaller than the corolla, 5-parted ; 

 the segments subulate, reflexed and concealed by the corolla. Corolla 

 rotate, 5-parted, the segments oblong and reflexed. Coronet of 5 erect, 

 cucullate leaves or cups, with an oblique mouth, having a small, in- 

 curved, acute horn proceeding from the base of the cavity of each, and 

 meeting at the centre of the flower. The mass of stamens is a tough, 

 horny, somewhat pyramidal substance, separable into 5 anthers ; 

 each 2-celled, bordered by membranous, reflected edges contiguous to 

 those of the next, and terminated by a membranous, reflected summit. 

 Pollen masses 10, distinct, yellowish, transparent, flat and spathulate, 

 ending in curved stalks, which unite them by pairs to a minute dark 

 tubercle at top ; each pair is suspended in the cells of 2 adjoining 

 anthers, so that if a needle be inserted between the membranous edges 

 of 2 anthers and forced out at top, it carries with it a pair of the 

 pollen masses. Carpels 2, completely concealed beneath the stigma 

 and anthers, ovate, with erect styles, terminated by a flat pentagonal 

 disk-like stigma. Follicle lanceolate, green, with a reddish tinge and 

 downy. Seeds ovate, flat, margined, terminated by long silken hairs. 

 Root expectorant and diaphoretic ; employed successfully in catarrh, 

 pneumony and pleurisy. Bigelow says he is persuaded of its usefulness 

 as a mild tonic and stimulant. 



1 142. A. decumbens Linn, is probably a mere variety of the 

 last, and has similar properties. 



1143. A. curassavica Linn, sp.pl. 314. HBK. n. g. et. sp. 

 iii. 149. Swartz obs. 126. Bot. Reg. t. 81. (Dill. elth. t.30. 



539 



