396 asclepiadace^e. (milkweed family.) 



shorter than the peduncle, 3-4 times the length of the dark purple lanceolate- 

 ovate divisions of the corolla ; hoods of the crown oblong, abruptly narrowed 

 above ; the horn broadly scythe-shaped, with a narrow and abruptly inflexed horizontal 

 point, (A. amuena, L., Michx. ) — Borders of woods, &c, New England to Illinois 

 and southward. — Flowers 6" long. 



5. A. variegata, L. (Variegated M.) Nearly glabrous (1°- 2° high) ; 

 leaves ovate, oval, or obovate, somewhat wavy, contracted into short petioles ; pedicels 

 {numerous and crowded) and peduncle short, downy; divisions of the corolla ovate 

 {white) ; hoods of the crown orbicular, entire, purplish or reddish, the horn 

 semilunar with a horizontal point; pods slightly downy. (A. nivea, L., in part, 

 A. hybrida, Michx.) — Dry woods, S. New York to Wisconsin and southward. 

 July. — liemarkable for its compact umbels of nearly white flowers. Leaves 

 4-5 pairs, the middle ones sometimes whorled. 



6. A. ovalifolia, Decaisne in DC. Low (6'- 18' high), soft-downy, es- 

 pecially the lower surface of the ovate or lanceolate-oblong acute short-petioled 

 leaves; umbels loosely 10 - IS-fowered, either sessile or peduncled ; pedicels slen- 

 der; hoods of the crown oblong, obtuse, yellowish, with a small horn, about 

 the length of the oval greenish- white divisions of the corolla (which are tinged 

 with purple outside) ; pods downy. (A. lanuginosa, Ed. 1, probably not of 

 Nutt. A. Vaseyi, Carey). — Prairies and oak-openings, N. Illinois, Vassy, Wis- 

 consin, Lapham, and northwestward. June. — Leaves lj'-3' long, smoothish 

 above, the upper sometimes scattered ; the middle rarely in threes. Flower 

 4" -5'' long. 



7. A. quadrifolia, Jacq. (Four-leaved M.) Nearly smooth; stem 

 slender (l°-2°high), mostly leafless below, bearing usually one or two whorls 

 of four in the middle and one or two pairs of ovate or ovate-lanceolate taper- 

 pointed petioled leaves (2' -4' long); pedicels slender; divisions of the (pale 

 pink) corolla oblong; hoods of the white crown elliptical-ovate, the incurved 

 horn short and thick; pods linear-lanceolate, smooth. — Dry woods and hills: 

 not very common. June. — Flowers 4" long. 



•*- +- Stem branching, leafy to the top, bearing lateral as well as terminal umbels : 

 leaves petioled : flowers small (3'' long) : pods smooth and glabrous. 



8. A. perennis, Walt. Nearly glabrous; stems (l°-2° high) persistent 

 or somewhat woody at the base; leaves lanceolate or lanceolate-ovate, tapering to both 

 ends, thin, rather slender-petioled ; flowers white, small; the small hoods of lhe 

 crown shorter than the needle-shaped horn; seeds sometimes destitute of a 

 coma! (A. parviflora, Pursh, and Ed. 2.) — -Low grounds, S. Indiana, Illinois, 

 and southward. 



9. A. incarnata, L. (Swamp Milkweed.) Smooth, or nearly so, in 

 the typical form, the stem with two downy lines above and on the branches of 

 the peduncles (2° -3° high), very leafy; leaves oblong -lanceolate, acute or pointed, 

 obtuse or obscurely heart-shaped at bass; flowers rose-purple ; hoods of the crown 

 scarcely equalling the slender needle-pointed horn. — Var. pulchra has broadex 

 and shorter-joetioled leaves, more or less hairy-pubescent, as well as the stem. (A. 

 pulchra, Willd. ) — Wet grounds ; the smooth form very common northward j 

 the hairy variety more so southward. — Milky juice scanty. 



