WILD FLOWERS OF CALIFORNIA 



99 



INDIAN HEMP FAMILY APOCYNACEAE 



1214. Dogbane or Indian 

 Hemp 



1215. Low Dogbane 



Apocynnm cannabinum 



Apocynnm androsaemi- 

 folium 



Tall, with rather large 

 leaves and clusters of 

 greenish - white flowers. 

 Stems yield a very tough 

 fiber used for cordage by 

 the Indians. Along streams 

 throughout State. 



Low, with weak, spreading stems. Variable. Probably poisonous to sheep. 

 Frequent in Sierras north to Mt. Shasta, Coast Ranges. Recently separated into 

 a large number of closely allied species. 



1216. 



1217. 



1218. Periwinkle; False 

 Myrtle 



1218a. 



Cycladenia humilis 



Cycladenia tomentosa 

 Vinca major 



Amsonia brevifolia 



Sierras, Sierra Valley and 

 elsewhere. Inner North- 

 ern Coast Ranges. 



Plumas County. Rare. 



Escaped from gardens and 

 appearing along_ our 

 creeks as if a native. 



Mohave Desert. 



MILKWEED FAMILY ASCEPIADACEAE 



The milky juice of the milkweeds is generally considered poisonous. Stock 

 do not eat them under ordinary conditions unless there is a shortage of feed, as 

 when being driven along roadways or in depleted or dry pastures. 



The flowers are peculiar in structure, having the calyx and corolla lobes re- 

 flexed and the stamens each provided with a hood and a protruding horn. Pod- 

 like fruits with numerous flat seeds, each provided with a tuft of silky down. 

 This downy material makes a very soft pillow but much patience is needed in 

 gathering it. Many of them are medicinal. The fiber was used by the Indians 

 for cordage. The sticky juice of some has caoutchouc properties. The young 

 sprouts coming from the base look not unlike asparagus and have been eaten in a 

 similar manner. 



1219. 



1220. Showy milkweed 



1221. 



1222. 

 1223. 

 1224. 

 1225. 



1225a. 



1226. 



Not uncommon throughout 

 the State. 



Along streams, Solano Co., 

 Common Sierras. 



Cure for rheumatism. Juice 

 heals wounds. Mendo- 

 cino to southern Califor- 

 nia. 



Mainly southern California. 



Upper Sacramento Valley. 



Santa Barbara. 



Wastes, deserts of southern 

 California. 



Gomphocarpus cordifolius Similar to Asclepias, but 



hoods without horns. 

 Flowers dark purple-red. 

 North Coast Ranges, Si- 

 erras. 



Gomphocarpus tomentosus Woolly flowers, greenish 



and dark maroon. Mt. 

 Diablo, southern Califor- 

 nia. Asclepias California. 



Asclepias Mexicana 

 Asclepias speciosa 

 Asclepias eriocarpa 



Asclepias vestita 

 Asclepias Fremontii 

 Asclepias erosa 

 Asclepias subulata 



