592 ORDER 97. ASCLEPIADACE^E. 



high, simplo or slightly branched at top. Lvs. with tho midvein purple. Cat 

 small, green. Cor. dark purple, with reflexed segments. Crown purple, twice as 

 long as the antheridium, the points of its horns lying close upon it. Jl. 



4 A. rubra L. St. simple, erect; Ivs. ovate-acuminate, very acute, subcordats cr 

 rounded at base, on very short petioles, glabrous ; umbels on long, mostly terminal 

 peduncles ; few-flowered; hoods of the crown- acute, rather longer than the suberect 

 horn. A small and elegant species in Penn., N. J., and Car., not common. St. 

 1 to 2f high, with a pubescent line on one side. Lvs. 3 to 5' by 1 to 2', in remote 

 pairs, the upper sometimes alternate. Ped. 1 to 5, 2 to 3' long, pedicels about 1'. 

 Fls. purple, the crown red. Follicles ventricous-acuminate, smoothish. Jl., Aug. 

 (A. lancifolia MX. A. acuminata Ph.) 



5 A. phytolaccoldes Ph. POKE-LEAVED SILK WEED. St. simple, erect, pube- 

 rulent; Ivs. broadly ovate, attenuated ai base and apex, acute, smoothish both 

 sides, glaucous ; ped. whitish puberulent, many-flowered ; pedicels slender, loose, 

 about as long as the peduncle ; antheridium stipitate ; hoods truncate, with 4 une- 

 qual teeth ; horns subulate, exserted, suberect. Tall and handsome, in low, shady 

 grounds, Can. to G-a. and Ark. St. 4 to 5f high. Lvs. 6 to 9' by 2 to 4'. Umbels 

 near the top on lateral peduncles 4 to 6' long, with about 20 large flowers on 

 nodding pedicels near 2' long. Petals greenish, crown white, tinged with pink. 

 June. 



6. A. variegata L. St. simple, erect, smoothish; Ivs. ovate or oval, abrupt at 

 each end, mucronate, glabrous, glaucous beneath; ped. lateral or terminal, one- 

 third as long as tho leaves, umbellate, many-flowered ; cor. segm. ovate ; hoods 

 orbicular; horns broad-falcate, with the apex horizontal or suberect; follicles 

 oblong, with a long, slender point, minutely puberulent. Woods, N. J. to Fla, 

 {at Tallahassee) and Wis. St. 2 to 4f high. Lvs. with a slight acumination, at 

 length slightly undulate. Umbels about 2, 20 to 30-fiowered. Cor. white. 



7 A. nivea L. St. terete, pubescent; Ivs. lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, acute, 

 Attenuated at base into a long petiole, minutely puberulent, scarcely paler beneath; 

 ped. shorter than tho leaves, mostly terminal, often compound ; umbels small, few 

 (10 to 17)-flowered; petals ovate, reflexed, half as long as the pedicels; hoods 

 ovate, longer than the falcato horns. S. W, Ga. (Miss Keen) to La. A pretty, 

 white-flowered species 1 to 2f high. Lvs. 3 to 4' long, petioles near 1'. Mower 

 buds 2" long. Jn. Aug. 



8 A. Vaseyi Torr. & Gr. St. low, pubescent ; Ivs. ovate or oblong-lanceolate, acute, 

 abruptly contracted to short petioles, pubescent beneath ; umbels nearly sessile, few 

 (10 to 15-flowered; petals oval; hoods oblong-obtuse, yellowish white, longer than 

 the Iwrns. Prairies and barrens, Wis* (Lapham), 111., Min. Sts. If (rnoro or less) 

 high. Lvs. 2 to 3' long. Cor. buds tinged with purple, about 2". Jn. 



9 A. parviflora Ph. Half-shrubby and branched at base; sts. ascending, smooth; 

 Ivs. lanceolate, attenuate at base and apex, on long petioles, smooth, thin ; ped. much 

 shorter than the leaves, few (12 to 18)-flowered; umbels small, pubescent, with 

 small flowers ; petals ovate, thin, thrice shorter than the pedicels ; hoods ovate, 

 shorter than the filiform horns. Woods along rivers, Ind. (Green Co.) to Ga. and 

 La* Sts. clustered, 18' to 3f high, very leafy. Lvs. 4 to 6' (including tho 1' 

 petiole) by 1' to 18". Umbels several, 1' diam. Cor. purplish white, bud 1" 

 long. Jl., Aug. 



10 A. quadrifolia Ph. St. erect, simple, smooth ; Ivs. smooth, thin, short-petio- 

 late, ovate, acuminate, some of them in whorls o/4; umbels few, lax, on long ter- 

 minal or axillary peduncles; hoods elliptic-ovate, with short, included horns. An 

 elegant species in dry woods. Can. and U. S. St. about 2f high, slender, often 

 with 1 or 2 hairy lines. Lvs. opposite, tho upper or middle pairs near together 

 BO as to appear in 4s, 2 to 3' long, as wide, acute or acuminate, on petioles 2 

 to 4" long. Fls. small, tho petals pale pink, 2 to 3'' long, crown near 2", white 

 on filiform stalks with a pubescent line. Jl. 



/?. LAXCEOLATA. Lvs. lanceolate, acuminate~*at both ends, the upper whorlcd; 



fls. smaller (petals less than 2" long). Mass. (Ricard). Ind. (Plummer). 

 Zl A. obtusifolia MX. St. simple, erect ; Ivs. oblong cr oblong-ovate, obtuse, mu- 

 cronate, sessile, cordate and subamplexicaul, undulate, very smooth both sides; 

 umbels terminal, many-flowered, glabrous, long-pedunculato ; hoods abrupt, 



