224 NEW YORK STATE MUSE1 M 



In marshy or swampy places, New Brunswick to Saskatchewan, south 



to Tennessee and Colorado. Flowering from July to September. 



The Hairy Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias pulchra Ehrhart i 

 is similar to this species, but is softly tomentose-pubescent on the stems, 

 the leaves smooth above and pubescent beneath, the flowers commonly 

 lighter red or pink. 



Blunt-leaved Milkweed 



Asclepias amplexicaulis J. E. Smith 



Plate 173 



Stems stout, erect or nearly so, smooth, pale green and glaucous, 

 rarely somewhat pubescent, 2 to 3 feet high. Leaves opposite, oblong- 

 ovate or oblong, blunt and minutely pointed at the apex, cordate-clasping 

 at the base, 3 to 5 inches long, 1 to 2 inches wide, the margins wavy-crisped. 

 Flowers numerous in a terminal, solitary, long-stalked umbel; pedicels of 

 the flowers downy, about 1 inch long. Flowers greenish purple; corolla 

 segments oblong, about one-third of an inch long; column thick, hoods 

 pinkish, shorter than the subulate incurved horn. Fruiting follicles 4 to 

 6 inches long, erect on recurved pedicels. 



In dry, mostly sandy soil, New Hampshire to Minnesota, south to 



Florida and Texas. Flowering in June and July. Young plants of this 



and other species of milkweed are said to make excellent greens. 



The Intermediate Milkweed (Asclepias intermedia Vail) 

 has been found only at Law r rence, Long Island, and is probably a hybrid 

 between A. s y r i a c a and A. amplexicaulis. 



Four-leaved Milkweed 



Asclepias quadrifolia Jacquin 



Plate 174 



Stems rather slender, rarely branched, 1 to 2 feet high. Leaves thin, 

 slightly pubescent on the veins beneath, ovate to lanceolate, 2 to 6 inches 

 long, one-half to 2 inches wide, long pointed at the apex, the middle leaves 

 in whorls of four, the upper and lower leaves smaller and usually opposite. 

 Flowers numerous in one to four terminal umbels on slender stalks; corolla 



