122 



ASCLEPIADACEiE. 



ASCLEPIAS. 



long as the stigma. Follicles 4-5 inches long, lanceolate, acuminate, slightly pubescent. 



Dry woods ; rather common on Long Island and on the Island of New-York. June - July. 

 This is a beautiful species ; the compact umbels of nearly white flowers, much resembling 

 those of Hoya. 



6. Asclepias quadrifolia, Jacq. Four-leaved Silkweed. 



Stem simple, slender, smooth ; leaves ovate, petiolate, the upper and lower ones opposite , 

 the four larger ones verticillate, near the middle of the stem ; umbels usually two, terminal, 

 erect, loose ; pedicels capillary ; lobes of the crown oblong, 2-toothed on the margin, the horn 

 very short. — Jacq. obs. t. 33, ex Pursh, ft. 1. p. 183 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 319 ; Nutt. gen. 1. 

 p. 167 ; Bart. fl. N. Am. t. 43 ; Torr. fl. I. p. 283 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 104 ; Beck, hot. 

 p. 236 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 172 ; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 54 ; Decaisne in DC. prodr. 

 8. p. 566. 



Stem about a foot and a half high. Leaves smooth, thin, usually 8 or 10 in number ; the 

 lowest pair, when present, often very small and obovate ; the next above ovate and obtuse ; 

 the four larger ones are verticillate and acute, and may be regarded as two closely approximated 

 pairs ; the two uppermost are opposite, and narrower than the others. Umbels on slender 

 peduncles, sometimes solitary, many -flowered. Flowers scarcely half as large as in A. 

 Cornuti. Corolla and crown white or pale purple : lobes of the latter about twice as long as 

 the stigma. Follicles 3-5 inches long, lanceolate-linear, acute, smooth. 



Dry woods and rocky hills, commonly in rich soils. June. 



7. Asclepias incarnata, Linn. Sivamj) Silkweed. 



Stem somewhat corymbosely branched above, more or less pubescent ; leaves oblong- 

 lanceolate, pubescent, on short petioles ; umbels numerous, erect, mostly in pairs and terminal; 

 lobes of the crown oblong, scarcely exceeding the stigma, not toothed ; horn subulate, exserted. 

 — Linn. sp. 1. p. 215 ; Michx. fl. 1. p. 115 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 181 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 320 ; 

 Bot. reg. t. 250 ; Torr. fl. 1. p. 281 ; Beck, hot. p. 235 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 172 ; Hook, 

 fl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 53 ; Decaisne in DC. prodr. 8. p. 567. A. pulchra, Ehrh. ; Willd. sp. 1. 

 p. 1207 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 163 ; Sioeet, Brit. ft. gard. (ser. 2.) t. 18. 



Stem 2-4 feet high, with erect branches, either nearly smooth (except two pubescent 

 lines), or hairy-tomentose. Leaves 3-6 inches long, smoothish above, more or less pubescent 

 (sometimes woolly) underneath, very acute ; the base obtuse or somewhat cordate : petioles 

 3-5 lines long. Umbels on hairy peduncles : pedicels three-fourths of an inch long. Flowers 

 half as large as in A. Cornuti. Corolla bright purple (or sometimes pale) ; the lobes lanceolate. 

 Lobes of the crown truncated obliquely inward : horns erect, slightly curved. Tube of the 

 stamens contracted into a slender neck under the crown. Follicles linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 

 pubescent. 



Low grounds, particularly on the borders of brackish marshes, but not confined to the sea- 

 board ; common. July - August. This is the most abundant species next to A. Cornuti. 

 It affords but little milky juice when wounded. It is sometimes employed in domestic practice, 

 and is considered anodyne and diaphoretic. (See Wood Bache, U. S. disp. p. 117.) 



