342 ASCLEPIADACE^. (MILKWEED FAMILY.) 



subcordate at base, nearly sessile; umbels 2 -3, densely many-flowered, on short 

 peduncles, corolla-lobes orate, greenish ; hoods truncate, entire. — Plains of 

 central Kansas and soutliwestward. 



12. A. phytolaccoides, Pursh. (PoKE-MILK^VEED.) Stem 3-5° 

 high; leaves hroadli/ ovate, or the upper oval-lanceolate and pointed at both ends, 

 short-petioled, smooth or slightly downy underneath (5 - 8' long) ; lateral um- 

 bels several; pedicels loose and nodding, numerous, long and slender (1 -3' long), 

 equalling the peduncle; corolla-lobes ovate-oblong, greenish; hoods (white) 

 truncate, the margins 2-toothed at the summit, the horn with a long projecting 

 awl-shaped point. — Moist copses, N. Eng. to Minn., south to Ga. and Ark. 



13. A. variegata, L. Stem 1-2° high; leaves (4-5 pairs) ovate, oval, 

 or obovate, somewhat wavy, contracted into shoii petioles, middle ones sometimes 

 whorled ; pedicels {numerous and crowded) and peduncle short, downy ; divis- 

 ions of the corolla ovate [white) ; hoods orbicular, entire, purplish or reddish, 

 tlie horn semilunar with a horizontal point. — Dry woods, soutliern N. Y. to 

 Ind., south to Pla., x\rk., and W. La. Jnly. — Remarkable for its compact 

 umbels of nearly white flowers. 



b. Leaves mostly pubescent or puberulent ; hoods obtuse, entire, twice or thrice 

 the length of the anthers. 



14. A. Ovalifolia, Decaisne. Low (6- 18' high), soft-downy, especially 

 the lower surface of tlie ovate or lanceolate-oblong acute short-petioled leaves 

 (1^-3' long); umbels loosely 10- 18-flowered, sessile orpeduncled; pedicels 

 slender, hoods oblong, yellowish, with a small horn, about the length of the 

 oval greenish-white corolla-lobes (tinged with purple outside). — Prairies and 

 oak-openings, X. 111. and Iowa, to Wise, and Dak. 



•*-*■ ++ Follicles and pedicels erect ; leaves often whorled ; glabrous or nearly so. 

 = Leaves ovate to broadly lanceolate, thin, rather slender-petioled. 



15. A. quadrifolia, L. Stem slender (1-2° high), mostly leafless be- 

 low, bearing usually one or two wJiorls of four in the middle and one or two 

 pairs of ovate or ovate-lanceolate taper-pointed petioled leaves (2 - 4' long) ; 

 pedicels slender ; corolla-lobes {pale pink) oblong ; hoods Avhite, elliptical-ovate, 

 the incurved horn short and thick. — Dry woods and hills, X. Eng. to Minn., 

 south to N. C. and Ark. 



16 A. perennis, Walt. Stems (l - 2° high) persistent or somewhat woody 

 at the base ; leaves lanceolate or lanceolate-ovate, tapering to both ends, thin, rather 

 .slender-petioled ; ^ozt-ers ivhite, smsdl; the small hoods of the crown shorter 

 than the needle-shaped horn; seeds sometimes destitute of a coma! — Low 

 grounds, S. Ind. and 111. to Tex., and eastward. 



= ^ Leaves narrowly linear to filiform ; horn subulate, exserted ; column con- 

 spicuous. 



17. A. verticillata, L. Stems slender, simple or sparingly branched, 

 very leafy to the summit; leaves filiform-linear, with revolute margins (2-3' 

 long, 1" wide), 3-6 in a whorl ; umbels small, lateral and terminal ; divisions 

 of the corolla ovate (greenish-wliite) ; hoods roundish-oval, about half the 

 length of the incurved claw-shaped horns. — Dry hills, common, especially 

 southward. — Var pumila, Gray, is low and many-stemmed from a fascicled 

 root; leaves much crowded, filiform. — Dry plains, Neb. to Kan and N. Mex. 



