Asclepias speciosa , Robert Tatina @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA SCS. 1989. Midwest wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species. Midwest National Technical Center, Lincoln. Cladus: Eukaryota Name Asclepias speciosa, Torr. References * Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York 2:218. 1827 Vernacular names ---------- Asclepias speciosa is a species of milkweed known commonly as the showy milkweed. It is native to the western half of North America. Description This flowering plant is a hairy, erect perennial. The large, pointed, bananalike leaves are arranged opposite on the stalklike stem. The eye-catching furry pale pink to pinkish-purple flowers are arranged in thick umbels. Their corollas are reflexed and the central flower parts, five hoods with prominent hooks, are star-shaped. The fruit is a large, rough follicle filled with many flat oval seeds with luxuriant silky plumes. Many Native American peoples use all parts of this plant for a great number of medicinal uses and ate some parts as a food. Butterflies Asclepias speciosa is a specific Monarch butterfly food and habitat plant. Source: Wikipedia, Wikispecies: All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License |
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