MILKWEED FAMILY. Asclepiadaceae. 



MILKWEED FAMILY. Asclepiadacece. 



Milky- juiced plants with large leaves, and flowers 

 deeply five-parted, the sepallike corolla segments turned 

 absolutely back at the time of bloom ; the so-called co- 

 rona within with its five concave parts thus fully ex- 

 posed ; the anthers and stigma remarkably connected, 

 and the pollen cohering in waxlike, granular, pear- 

 shaped masses not unlike those of the Orchids. The 

 masses quite frequently become attached to the feet of 

 bees, and the entanglement causes tlieir death. The 

 flowers are almost exclusivel}^ fertilized b}- bees and the 

 beelike flies (see Miiller's Fertilization of Flower's). 



The handsomest member of the genus, 

 with brilliant light orange or orange-yel- 

 low flowers, in erect flat-topped clusters 

 at the termination of the branches. Leaves 

 light olive green, narrow oblong, or lance- 

 shaped, hairy beneath, and veiny, nearly 

 or quite stemless. The juice is very 

 slightly if at all milky. The stem some- 

 The slender pods are borne erect on a short 

 stalk with an S curve. 1-2 feet high. Common in dry 

 fields everywhere, especially south. Found on Cape Cod. 

 A misnamed species, as its flowers are 

 pure crimson or else crimson- magenta; but 

 they are never purple. The stem is usu- 

 ally simple, green, and magenta- tinged at 

 the leaf junctures. Leaves ovate, and 

 finely hairy beneath ; smooth above. The 

 flowers are \ inch long, with broad horns 

 abruptly pointed inward. 2-3 feet high. Common in 

 dry fields and thickets. Me., south to Ga. ,* w^est to Minn. 

 A similar, rather smooth species, the 

 stem with two downy lines above and on 

 the branches of the flower-stalks. The 

 leaves narrow , or lance-shaped ; all short- 

 stalked. The small flowers in small termi- 

 nal flat-topped clusters, dull light crimson 

 or dull crimson-pink. 2-4 feet high. Com- 

 mon in swamps throughout our range. 

 366 



Butterfly 

 Weed or Pleu= 

 risy Root 



Asclepias 

 tuberosa 

 Light orange 

 June- 

 September 



what rough. 



Purple 

 Milkweed 



Asclepias 



purpiirascens 



Magenta= 



crimson 



June-August 



Swamp 

 Milkweed 



Asclepias 

 incarnata 

 Dull light 

 crimson 

 July- 

 September 



