ASCLEPIAS. Cll. ASCLEPIADACEJS. 459 



fields. Stem 3 4f high, seldom branched. Leaves 5 8' by 23', tapering at 

 both ends. Umbels several, axillary, subterminal, dense, globose, each of 20 

 or more sweet-scented flowers. Calyx segments lanceolate. Corolla pale pur- 

 ple, reflexed, leaving the corona, which is of nearly the s^ame hue, quite con- 

 spicuous. But few of the flowers prove fertile, producing oblong, pointed, 

 rough pods or follicles, which contain a mass of long, silky fibres with seeds 

 attached. July. 



2. A. PHYTOLACCOIDES. Ph. Poke-Uaxed Silkweed. 



St. simple, erect, puberulent ; Ivs. broadly ovate, attenuated at base and 

 apex, acute, smoothish both sides, glaucous beneath ; ped. terminal, subequal- 

 ing the leaves, whitish-puberulent, many-flowered ; pedicels slender, loose ; 

 antheridium stipitate ; seg. of the corona, truncate, bidentate ; horns exserted. 

 A tall and elegant specie^, found in low, shady grounds, Can. to Ga. and Ark. 

 Stem 4 5f high, smooth and slender. Leaves acuminate at each end, 6 9' 

 long and nearly half as wide. Umbels near the top on lateral peduncles, 4 6' 

 long and consisting each of 10 20 large flowers, on pedicels about 2' in length. 

 Petals green. Ccrona flesh-colored, each segment truncate, with its inner mar- 

 gin 2-toothed, and with a long, slender, incurved horn. June. 



3. A. OBTUSIFOLIA. Michx. (A. cordata. Walt.} Blunt-kaved Silkweed. 

 St. simple, erect ; Ivs. oblong-ovate or oval, obtuse, mucronate, sessile, 



cordate and subamplexicaul, undulate, very smooth both sides ; umbels termi- 

 nal, many-flowered, glabrous, long-pedunculate ; corona horns arcuate, falcate, 

 inflexed. In shady grounds, prairies, Mid. ! W. ! and S. States. Stem 2 3f 

 high, bearing a single (rarely 2) terminal umbel of 30 40 large, reddish-green 

 flowers. Leaves much waved on the margin, 4 5' long,. as wide, with a 

 broad, rounded, mucronate apex. Corolla light purple. Corona nearly white 

 its segments large, slightly 2-toothed. July. 



4. A. PURPURASCENS. Purple Silkweed. 



St. simple, erect, puberulent; Ivs. elliptical, ovate-elliptical or ovate, mu- 

 cronate, narrowed at base into a short petiole, smooth above, tomentose-pubes- 

 cent and paler beneath ; corona segments oblong or lance-ovate, obtuse ; horns 

 falcate, acute, resupinate. In hedges and thickets, N. H. ! Mass. ! to la. ! Stem 

 4 3f or more-high, simple or slightly branched at top. Leaves paler and downy 

 beneath, the midvein purple, smooth above. Flowers in terminal, erect um- 

 bels. Calyx small, green. Corolla dark purple, with reflexed segments. 

 Corona purple, twice as long as the antneridium, its horns abruptly bent in- 

 wards to a horizontal position and lying close upon it. July. 



5. A. INCARNATA. (A. amGBna. Michx.) Rose-colored Silkweed. 



St. erect, branching above ; Ivs. lanceolate, on short petioles, slightly to- 

 mentose; umbels numerous, erect, mostly terminal, often in opposite pairs; seg. 

 of the corona entire, horns exsert. A handsome species, found in wet places, 

 Can. and U. S. Stem 3 4f high, with 2 hairy lines. Leaves 4 7 by i 1 J', 

 rather abrupt at base, tapering to a very acute point, on petioles J' long. Um- 

 oels close, 2 6 together at the top of the stem or branches, each an inch or 

 more in diameter, on a peduncle 2' long, and consisting of 1020 small flow- 

 ers. Corolla deep purple, corona paler. Horns subulate, curving inwards over 

 the summit of the autheridium. July. 



/?. pulchra. St. and Ivs. densely tomentose, the latter elliptical-lanceolate, 3 

 4 times as long as wide, sessile or on very short, hairy stalks. Stem 4 5f 

 high. A remarkable variety. 



6. A. QUADRIFOLIA. Pursh. 



St. erect, simple, smooth ; Ivs. smooth, thin, petiolate, ovate, acuminate, 

 mostly in 4s ; umbels few,lax, on long, terminal or axillary peduncles ; corona 

 long, segments 2-toothed, horns short. An elegant species, in dry woods, Can. 

 and U. S. Stem about 2f high, slender, often with 1 2 hairy lines. Leaves 

 opposite, the middle or upper pairs near together so as to appear in 4s, 2 3' 

 long, as wide, acute or acuminate, on petioles 2 4' long. Flowers small, 

 white, on filiform stalks with a pubescent line. Corona twice as long as an- 

 theridium. July. 



39* 



