pink WILD FLOWERS 



branching perennial, and grows from one to four feet 

 high from a horizontal rootstock. The smooth stalk 

 is usually stained on one side with red. The short- 

 stemmed, toothless, oval leaves are round-pointed 

 at either end, and are arranged in opposite pairs. 

 They are smooth above, and paler and somewhat 

 hairy beneath. The small, fragrant, bell- shaped 

 flowers have five spreading, recurved lobes united in a 

 tube. They are delicate pink in colour, with veinings 

 of a deeper shade. The five yellowish stamens are 

 united about the stigma. The nodding flowers all 

 open at one time, and are borne in small, loose 

 clusters on the ends of the branches. The slender, 

 twin seed pods are four inches in length. During 

 July great numbers of our most iridescent beetles 

 are attracted to the foliage of the Dogbane, and when 

 thus found, they furnish a sure means for identifying 

 this plant. This species was considered at one time 

 to be poisonous to dogs. It is common during June 

 and July, along roadsides and in fields and thickets 

 from Georgia, Nebraska, and Arizona, far north into 

 Canada. Bitter-root is the state flower of Montana. 



THE MILKWEEDS. 

 SILVERWEED. SWALLOW- WORT 



Asdepiadaceae. Milkweed Family. 



Our common Milkweeds have a certain strain of 

 beauty and elegance peculiar to themselves. They 

 may be readily distinguished by several conspicuous 

 characteristics which are not likely to be confused 



7 6 



