Asclepias obovata

Herbs. Stems 1 (rarely more), erect to spreading, unbranched, 40–70(–200) cm, densely hirtel­lous to velutinous, not glaucous, rhizomes absent. Leaves oppo­site, petiolate, with 1 or 2 stip­ular colleters on each side of petiole; petiole 1–4 mm, densely hirtellous to velutinous; blade oblong or elliptic to obovate or ovate, 4–9 × 1–3.5 cm, subcoriaceous, base rounded or truncate to cordate, margins sometimes crisped, apex acute to truncate, sometimes emarginate, often mucronate, venation bro­chidodromous, surfaces densely hirtellous to velutinous abaxially, hirtellous adaxially, margins ciliate, 8–12 laminar colleters. Inflorescences extra-axillary, some­times also appearing terminal, sessile or pedunculate, 7–31-flowered; peduncle 0–0.5 cm, densely hirtellous to velutinous, with 1 caducous bract at the base of each pedicel. Pedicels 10–12 mm, densely hirtellous to velutinous. Flowers erect to pendent; calyx lobes elliptic, 5–6 mm, apex acute, densely hirtellous; corolla green, sometimes tinged reddish or bronze, lobes reflexed, sometimes with spreading tips, elliptic, 7–9 mm, apex acute, glabrous abaxially, minutely papillose at base adaxially; gynostegial column 1–1.5 mm; fused anthers green, obconic, 2.5–4 mm, wings right-triangular, open at base, apical appendages broadly ovate; corona segments bronze to yellow, often tinged red, sometimes apically cream or pale, stipitate, tubular, somewhat flattened laterally, flared at base, 5–8 mm, greatly exceeding style apex, apex rounded, flared, glabrous, internal appendage falcate, exserted, sharply incurved over style apex, glabrous; style apex shallowly depressed, green. Follicles erect on upcurved pedicels, narrowly to broadly fusiform, 7.5–12.5 × 1.5–2.5 cm, apex acumi­nate, smooth, densely hirtellous to velutinous. Seeds broadly ovate, 8–9 × 6–7 mm, margin winged, faces smooth; coma 2–5 cm.

Phenology: Flowering May–Sep; fruiting Jul–Oct.
Habitat: Hills, slopes, flats, ridges, sandhills, ditches, seeps, bogs, sandstone, sandy, rocky, silty, and clay soils, pine flatwoods, pine savannas, pine, pine-oak, and bottomland hardwood forests, prairies, often following fires.
Elevation: 0–200 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., Okla., S.C., Tex.

Discussion

Asclepias obovata is a common milkweed of sea­sonally wet, sandy soils in pine woodlands of the Gulf Coastal Plain and (rarely) the southern Atlantic Coastal Plain. It is rare and considered to be of conservation concern in Arkansas.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.