A. tuberosa. L. Pleurisy Root. Butterfly Weed. A hairy
plant, with opposite and scattered leaves ; stem 1—2 feet high,
hearing bright orange-colored flowers in the axils, and at the termination
; has valuable medicinal properties ; light sandy soil,
easily cultivated, and much improved by cultivation, which, from
its great beauty, it richly deserves. It rises to the height of 4 - 6
feet, and its umbels of flowers increase in number and improve in
size and color. June. Bigelow’s “ Medical Botany.”
A. viridijlora, Ph., A. verticillata, L ., and A. variegcita, L .,
are rare plants, as well as A. purpurascens, L. A. pulchra,
found in the eastern parts of the State, is so named for its beauty.
A. phytolaccoides. Ph. Grows in wet grounds, and has large
leaves like the plant it is named after ; 3 - 4 feet high ; few-
floweredT
A. oblusifolia. Mx. Its name describes its leaves, oblong and
obtuse, sessile and clasping ; stem 2 or 3 feet high, erect and
smooth ; flowers large and purple ; sandy fields ; June. This, as
well as other species, would repay the trouble of cultivation.
ORDER 196. APOCYNEiE.
Persistent calyx, with 5 divisions ; corolla 1-petalled, regular,
5-lobed, inferior, supporting on its base the 5 stamens ; fruit a
follicle, capsule, berry, or drupe; white, milky juice in many
species ; leaves opposite or whorled. Only one genus in this
State, though the order contains many genera, and important
plants.
A pocynum. L. 5. 1. Dog’s Bane.
From the Greek away and dog, from its supposed ofFensiveness
to that animal. The species are rather handsome plants.
A. androscemifolium. L. Common Dog’s Bane. Stem
3 - 5 feet high, smooth, much branched, with upper leaves opposite,
smooth on both sides, and green on the upper ; white
flowers in nodding clusters in the axils of the upper leaves, and
ends of branches ; seed in 2 long narrow follicles ; strong medicinal
properties; Bigelow’s “ Medical Botany.” About woods
and hedges and banks of streams.
A. cannabinum. L. Indian Hemp. Named from the hemp-
like fibres of the bark, which the Indians twist into strings.
Stem smooth and branching, with narrower leaves than the
other, which are downy on the under side, and paler than above ;
flowers in terminal clusters ; borders of woods, and fields, and
meadows; June.
A. hypericifolium. Ait. John’s Dog’s Bane. Stem about
2 feet high, with oblong, narrow leaves, and small greenish-white
flowers ; borders of woods..
The first two would be ornamental flowering plants for gardens ;
rather herbaceous than shrubby.
V inca minor. L. Periwinkle. Is a beautiful evergreen creeping
plant, shrubby, bearing fine blue flowers for a long time, a
native of Britain, and cultivated for its early flowers and carpetlike
green, forming a beautiful covering for the sloping banks of
terraces.
ORDER 197. GENTIANEJE. T he G entian T r ib e .
Stamens mostly 5, attached to the corolla, and equal to the
divisions of the corolla, or of the persistent inferior calyx ; ovary
single ; capsule or berry many-seeded ; leaves opposite, and
commonly sessile, entire ; flowers axillary or terminal.
G entiana. L. 5. 2. Gentian.
After the King of Illyria, Gentius, who is said to have discovered
the medicinal properties of some of the species. Most
of the plants are handsome.
G. saponaria. L. Soap Gentian. The leaves resemble
some kinds of Saponaria, or Soapwort. Stem about 2 feet high,