Swallow-ioort, or Silkwccd. 197 



crowded umbels from their upper side. The involucrum con- 

 sists of numerous short subulate leaflets. Flowers numerous, 

 erect, of a beautifully bright orange color. Calyx much 

 smaller than the corolla, five-parted, the segments subulate, 

 reflexed, and concealed by the corolla. Corolla five-parted, 

 reflexed, the segments oblong. The nectary, or stamineal 

 crown, (corona,) is formed of five erect cucullate leaves or 

 cups, with an oblique mouth, having a small, incurved, acute 

 born, proceeding from the base of the cavity of each, and 

 meeting in the centre of the flower. The mass of stamens, 

 (antheridium,) is a tough, horny, somewhat pyramidal sub- 

 stance, separable into five anthers. Each of these is bor- 

 dered by membranous, reflected edges, contiguous to those of 

 the next, and terminated by a membranous, reflected summit. 

 Internally they have two cells. The pollen forms ten distinct, 

 yellowish, transparent bodies, of a flat and spatulate form, 

 ending in curved filaments, which unite them by pairs to a 

 minute dark tubercle at top. Each pair is suspended in the 

 cells of two adjoining anthers, so that if a needle be inserted 

 between the membranous edges of two anthers, and forced out 

 at top, it carries with it a pair of the pollen masses. Pistils 

 two, completely concealed within the mass of anthers. Germs 

 ovate, with erect styles. The fruit, as in other species, is an 

 erect, lanceolate, ventricose follicle, on a sigmoid peduncle. In 

 this it is green, with a reddish tinge, and downy. Seeds ovate, 

 flat, margined, connected to the receptacle by long silken hairs. 

 Flowers in August 



Another very handsome species is A. incarnata, which is 

 rather taller than the Butterfly-weed, with large leaves, and 

 deep purple or rose-colored flowers. Another remarkable 

 species is A. verticillata. The stem is very slender and deli- 

 cate, the flowers small and greenish white, and the leaves in 

 whorls of five or six. This plant is reputed in some parts of 

 the south and west to be a cure for the bite of the rattlesnake, 

 and it is said that the Indians will sometimes, by the use of it, 

 prevent any injury from that venomous reptile, which for a 

 little whiskey they will allow to bite them. Whether in such 

 cases the fangs of the snake had not, by a well-known opera- 

 tion, been previously drawn out, our authority does not state. 



