Vol. III.] 



MILKWEED FAMILY. 



13 



2. ASCLEPIODORA A. Gray, Proc. Am. Acad. 12: 66. 1876. 



Erect or decumbent perennial herbs, similar to Asclepias, with alternate or opposite en- 

 tire leaves, and rather large flowers in terminal solitary or corymbed umbels. Sepals 

 lanceolate. Corolla rotate, its segments spreading. Hoods oblong, inserted over the whole 

 of the very short corona-column, curved upward, obtuse, crested within, at least in the up- 

 per part, slightly longer than the anther; at the sinuses between the hoods a small lobe or 

 appendage, alternate with the anther-wings, simulating an inner crown. Anthers tipped 

 with a scarious membrane, their wings horny, narrowed below, sometimes angled above the 

 middle. Pollen-masses pendulous, pyriform, longer than their caudicles. Follicles ovoid 

 or oblong, acuminate, with or without soft spinose processes, erect or ascending on the de- 

 curved or twice bent fruiting pedicels. Seeds comose. [Greek, gift of AEsculapius.] 



Five or six species, natives of the southern United States and Mexico. 

 Glabrous or nearly so; leaves oblong to ovate-lanceolate; umbels usually more than one, corymbose. 



1. A. viridis. 

 Stem rough-puberulent; leaves lanceolate or linear, acuminate; umbels solitary. 2. A. decumbens. 



i. Asclepiodora viridis (Walt.) A. Gr. Oblong-leaved Milkweed. (Fig. 2922.) 



Asclepias viridis Walt. Fl. Car. 107. 1788. 

 Asclepiodora viridis A. Gray, Proc. Am. 

 Acad. 12: 66. 1876. 



Stem erect, glabrous or puberulent above, 

 rather stout, simple, i-2 high. Leaves 

 oblong to ovate-lanceolate, rather thin, ob- 

 tuse and mucronulate or acute at the apex, 

 narrowed or rounded at the base, short-peti- 

 oled, 2^ / -5 / long, J^'-i^' wide; umbels 2- 

 4, or sometimes solitary; peduncles i^ / -2 / 

 long; pedicels slender, about y 2 ' long; co- 

 rolla globose- ovoid in the bud, greenish, its 

 segments, when expanded, oblong, obtuse or 

 acute, 4 // -6 // long, 2-3 limes as long as the 

 purplish or violet entire-margined hoods; 

 anther- wings narrow, scarcely angled above; 

 fruiting pedicels twice bent; follicles ascend- 

 ing, puberulent, 2 / -3 / long, sometimes with 

 soft spinose projections. 



In dry soil, Illinois and Kansas to Texas, 

 east to South Carolina and Florida. May-July. 



2. Asclepiodora decumbens 

 (Nutt. ) A. Gray. Decumbent Milk- 

 weed. (Fig. 2923.) 



Ananthrix decumbens Nutt. Trans. Am. Phil. 



Soc. (II.) 5: 202. 1833-37. 

 Asclepiodora decumbens A. Gray, Proc. Am. 

 Acad. 12: 66. 1876. 



Stems decumbent or ascending, rough- 

 puberulent, rather stout, io'-2 long. 

 Leaves firm, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 

 glabrous above, puberulent, at least on the 

 veins, beneath, acuminate at the apex, 

 narrowed at the base, 3 / -7 / long, 2 // -8 // 

 wide; umbel solitary, many-flowered; pe- 

 duncle i/-5 / long; pedicels rather stout, 

 Y^'-i' long; corolla depressed-globose in 

 the bud, greenish, its segments, when ex- 

 panded, ovate or broadly oval, somewhat 

 longer than the hoods; hoods purple, ob- 

 tusely 3-lobed on the ventral margins, 

 about 3 // long, their tips incurved; anther-wings broad, angled above; follicles nearly erect 

 on the recurved fruiting pedicels, t/-\' long, puberulent, at least when young, with or 

 without soft projections. 



In dry soil, Kansas, to Texas and Mexico, west to Utah and New Mexico. April- June. 



