6o 
C01.0RAD0 Agricultural College 
23. MILKWEED FAMILY 
(Asdepiadcxeae) 
Fruit a follicle (a single carpel splitting along one suture) 
containing several or numerous seeds; seeds compressed, flattened 
thin with the hilum next the micropyle ; endosperm thin, firm, and 
tough; cotyledons flat; embryo nearly as long as the seed. 
Milkweed, Silkweed 
{Asclepias (Tourn.) L.) 
Follicles mostly thick, spinflle-shaped, tapering at the end, either smooth 
or warty ; seeds flat, margined, usually bearing a tuft of long silky hairs at 
the hilum; embryo large; endosperm thin. 
Key to Species 
seeds 8-10 mm. long, margins 'rithoiU . • 
Seed.s 6-7 mm. long, margins with wnite spots 
1. Showy Milkweed {Asclepias speciosa 
Torr.) (Fig. 107). — Seeds hazel in color, 
dull, S-10 mm. long, 4-6 mm. wide, flat, thin, 
distinctly margined, ridged on one side 
Fig. 107. Showy nearly 
Milkweed (Asclep- 
ias speciosa). A. 
Top view. B. Bot- 
tom view. X 2. 
2. Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias 
galioides L.) (Fig. 108).— Seeds simi- 
lar to A. speciosa in color, 6-7 mm. 
long, 3.5-4 mm. wide, otherwise as in 
4. speciosa except the margin which 
is marked with numerous white streaks 
and spots ; the edge also is often white. 
the length of the seed. 
Fig. 108. Whorled 
Milkweed (Ascelepias 
galioides). Top view 
(left), bottom view 
(right). X 4. 
24. DODDER FAMILY 
{ ( Aiscu tdcnte) ' 
Capsule nearly globular or oval in outline, either bursting 
irregularly or not splitting open at maturity, 1-4 seeded; seeds 
smooth, or slightly rough, nearly globular or angular, with one or 
more flat surfaces; embryo curved or spiral, circular iii cross-sec- 
tion ; endosperm fleshy. 
Dodder, Love-vine, Coral-vine 
( Cuscuta ( Tourn . ) L.) 
Capsule mostly 4-seeded ; (‘inbryo spirally coiled in the fleshy endosperm; 
other characters as given in the family dcscriiilion. 
