DOGBANE FAMILY 
APOCYNACE 
Docpane. The Dogbane is the typical repre- 
sentative of the Dogbane family. It is beloved 
of butterflies and is one of the most attractive 
summer blossoming plants. The flowers are 
small individually but they are so grouped as to 
be quite conspicuous against the background of 
the clean green leaves. The whole plant is full 
of grace: the stems are smooth and rounded, with 
glistening bark; the leaves are oval and pointed; 
the pinkish-white flowers are bell-shaped; and the 
long pods which succeed them are slender and 
decorative. In its structure the blossom is some- 
what like that of the Milkweed, and insects are 
often caught and held by the curious device by 
which the plant effects cross-pollination. These 
are usually small flies, however ; the larger butter- 
flies are able to extricate themselves from the 
tiny traps. 
In many localities the Dogbane has become a 
troublesome weed in fields and pastures. Like 
the closely related Indian Hemp it spreads by long 
rootstocks as well as by the winged seeds. Both 
these species are poisonous. 
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