ASCLEPIAS. 197 



(staminate crown) to view. Tliis consists of 5 fleshy, rose- 

 white hoods attached to the mass of united anthers and stig- 

 mas. From the opening of eacli hood projects a little curved 

 horn. Both hood and horn are of unknown use. 



^olle?i. Of the 5 anthers, each contains 2 club-shaped 

 masses of pollen [pollinia) suspended in pairs beneath the 

 disk of the stigma by slender stipes attached to 5 double 

 glands. The poUinia of adjacent anthers are so united. The 

 glands are very sticky and adhere to such insects as call in 

 quest of hone}^, while their pollinia are dragged out of the 

 anthers and carried to other flowers. This may be for 

 the purpose of cross-fertilization ; but the double pollinia 

 dangling *^like saddle-bags" from the legs of the insects 

 often prove very annoying. 



Under the staminal mass are 2 ovaries, each 1-celled with 

 numerous ovules. But few of the ovaries in the umbel are 

 fertilized and come to maturity. 



The ^7*uit is lance-shaped, with a rough exterior, 1-celled, 

 and opens by a slit along the inner side. Such we call a 

 follicle. It incloses many flat seeds imbricated on the large 

 placenta, each fledged with a tuft of long silky hairs called 

 a coma. These serve, like the down of the Dandelion, to 

 waft the seeds to a distance. 



The Scientific Name of the Milkweed shown in the 

 figure, is AscUpias Coniiiti, or the Horned Asclepias, the 

 genus being dedicated to /Esculapius, the god of Medicine. 

 There are 50 species, which differ, however, in only a few 

 particulars from the description in the text. 



Classification. — The order of the Asclepiads (Ascle- 

 piadace.e) may Ijc formulated as follows : 



Plants with a milky juice. 



Flowers regular, perfect, 5-parted, symmetrical. 



Stamens and stigma consolidated. 



