Vol. III.] 



MILKWEED FAMILY. 



5. Asclepias purpurascens L,. Purple 



Milkweed. (Fig. 2904.) 

 Asclepias purpurascens L. Sp. PI. 214. 1753. 



Stem stout, puberulent or glabrous, usually sim- 

 ple, 2-4 high, leafy to the top. Leaves ovate, 

 elliptic or oblong, petioled, acute or obtuse and 

 mucronulate at the apex, narrowed or rounded at 

 the base, nearly glabrous above, finely tomentose 

 beneath, 3 / -8 / long, I ^'-3' wide, the primary 

 nerves very wide- spreading; umbels many-flowered, 

 borne in several of the upper axils, or sometimes soli- 

 tary; peduncles stout; pedicels slender, puberulent, 

 i / -i^ / long; corolla deep purple, its segments ob- 

 long, about 3" long; column very short and thick; 

 hoods oblong or ovate, nearly twice as long as the 

 anthers, pale red or purple, the horns broad at the 

 insertion, short-subulate and incurved at the apex; 

 fruiting pedicels deflexed, the downy follicles 

 nearly erect, 4 / -5 / long. 



In dry fields and thickets, eastern Massachusetts to 

 Virginia, west to southern Ontario, Minnesota and Kan- 

 sas. Ascends to 2000 ft. in the Catskills. June-Aug. 



6. Asclepias incarnata I,. 



Swamp Milkweed. (Fig. 2905.) 

 Asclepias incarnata L. Sp. PL 215. 1753. 



Glabrous, or puberulent above; stem slender, 

 branched above, or rarely simple, 2-4 high, 

 leafy to the top. Leaves lanceolate or oblong- 

 lanceolate, acuminate at the apex, narrowed, 

 obtuse or sometimes subcordate at the base, 3 / -6 / 

 long, % r -\% f wide, the primary nerves not 

 wide-spreading; petioles 3 // -6 // long; umbels 

 usually numerous, corymbed, many-flowered; 

 pedicels pubescent, 5 // -io // long; corolla red or 

 rose-purple, rarely white, its lobes oblong, about 

 7." long; column more than one-half as long as 

 the obtuse pink or purplish hoods; horns in- 

 curved, longer than the hoods; anther-wings 

 entire, or obscurely notched at the base; fruit- 

 ing pedicels erect or incurved ; follicles erect, 

 2 / ~3^ / long, sparingly puberulent. 



In swamps, New Brunswick to the Northwest 

 Territory, Tennessee, Kansas and Louisiana. As- 

 cends to 3000 ft. in West Virginia. July-Sept. 



7. Asclepias oulchra Ehrh. Hairy 

 Milkweed. (Fig. 2906.) 



Asclepias pulchra Ehrh. ; Willd. Sp. PI. i : 1267. 1798. 

 A. incarnata var. pulchra Pers. Syn. 1: 276. 1805. 



Similar to the preceding species and perhaps 

 intergrading with it where the two grow together; 

 stem stout, tomentose-pubescent, usually branch- 

 ed, 2-3K high, leafy to the top. Leaves 

 broadly lanceolate, acute, acuminate or some of 

 them obtusish at the apex, subcordate, rounded, 

 or the upper narrowed at the base, puberulent or 

 glabrous above, pubescent, at least on the veins 

 beneath, 3 / -5 / long, y 2 '-2' wide; petioles usually 

 stout and short; flowers similar to those of A. in- 

 carnata, but the corolla commonly lighter red or 

 pink, rarely white; peduncles and pedicels to- 

 mentose; fruiting pedicels erect or incurved; fol- 

 licles erect, finely and densely pubescent, 2 / -3 / 

 long\ 



In moist fields and swamps, Maine to Minnesota, south to Georgia 



July-Sept. 



