MILKWEED FAMILY. Asclepiadacex. 



MILKWEED FAMILY. Asclepiadacece. 



Milky-juiced plants with large leaves, and flowers 

 deeply five-parted, the sepallike corolla segments turned 

 absolutely back at the time of bloom ; the so-called co- 

 rona within with its five concave parts thus fully ex- 

 posed ; the anthers and stigma remarkably connected, 

 and the pollen cohering in waxlike, granular, pear- 

 shaped masses not unlike those of the Orchids. The 

 masses quite frequently become attached to the feet of 

 bees, and the entanglement causes their death. The 

 flowers are almost exclusively fertilized by bees and the 

 beelike flies (see Mtiller's Fertilization of Flowers). 



The handsomest member of the. genus, 

 with brilliant light orange or orange-yel- 

 low flowers, in erect flat-topped clusters 

 at the termination of the branches. Leaves 

 light olive green, narrow oblong, or lance- 

 shaped, hairy beneath, and veiny, nearly 

 or quite stemless. The juice is very 

 slightly if at all milky. The stem some- 

 The slender pods are borne erect on a short 

 stalk with an S curve. 1-2 feet high. Common in dry 

 fields everywhere, especially south. Found on Cape Cod. 

 A misnamed species, as its flowers are 

 pure crimson or else crimson-magenta; but 

 they are never purple. The stem is usu- 

 ally simple, green, and magenta-tinged at 

 the leaf junctures. Leaves ovate, and 

 finely hairy beneath ; smooth above. The 

 flowers are \ inch long, with broad horns 

 abruptly pointed inward. 2-3 feet high. Common in 

 dry fields and thickets. Me., south toGa., west to Minn. 

 A similar, rather smooth species, the 

 stem with two downy lines above and on 

 the branches of the flower-stalks. The 

 leaves narrow, or lance-shaped ; all short- 

 stalked. The small flowers in small termi- 

 nal flat-topped clusters, dull light crimson 

 or dull crimson-pink. 2-4 feet high. Com- 

 mon in swamps throughout our range. 

 366 



Butterfly 

 Weed or Pleu- 

 risy Root 

 Asclepias 

 tuberosa 

 Light orange 

 June- 

 September 



what rough. 



Purple 

 Milkweed 



Asclepias 

 purpurascens 

 Magenta- 

 crimson 

 June-August 



Swamp 

 Milkweed 

 Asclepias 

 incarnata 

 Dull light 

 crimson 

 July- 

 September 



