Asclepias brachystephana
Asclepias solanoana
bract milkweed, short-crowned milkweed, shortcrown milkweed
prostrate milkweed, serpentine milkweed
4–25, erect, unbranched or branched near base, 20–40 cm, tomentulose, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.
1–15, prostrate, unbranched (rarely branched), 15–40 cm, densely puberulent with curved trichomes to tomentose, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.
opposite to subopposite, petiolate, with 1 or 2 stipular colleters on each side of petiole;
petiole 2–8 mm, tomentulose;
blade linear-lanceolate, 5–15 × 0.3–1.3 cm, chartaceous, base cuneate to rounded, margins often obscurely crisped, apex acute, mucronate, venation brochidodromous, surfaces tomentulose to glabrate, midvein puberulent with curved trichomes, margins minutely ciliate, laminar colleters absent.
opposite, petiolate, stipular colleters absent;
petiole 5–10 mm, densely puberulent with curved trichomes;
blade ovate to nearly orbiculate, 3.5–6 × 3–4 cm, subsucculent, base obtuse to cordate, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute or rounded, venation eucamptodromous, surfaces pilosulous, more densely so abaxially, especially on veins, becoming glabrate adaxially, margins inconspicuously ciliate, laminar colleters absent.
extra-axillary, pedunculate, 4–15-flowered;
peduncle 0.2–1.5 cm, tomentose, with 1 caducous bract at the base of each pedicel.
terminal and extra-axillary, pedunculate, 20–55-flowered;
peduncle 1.5–9 cm, tomentose, with 1 caducous bract at the base of each pedicel.
9–15 mm, tomentose.
10–13 mm, tomentose to pilose.
erect;
calyx lobes ovate-lanceolate, 2–3 mm, apex acute, tomentulose;
corolla red-violet, sometimes green with red tinge, lobes reflexed, ovate, 4–6 mm, apex acute, minutely pilosulous;
gynostegium subsessile;
fused anthers brown, cylindric, 2–2.5 mm, wings right-triangular, closed, apical appendages ovate;
corona segments red-violet to pink basally, white apically, sessile, tubular, 1.5–2 mm, greatly exceeded by style apex, apex truncate, oblique, with a proximal tooth on each side, glabrous, internal appendage lingulate, slightly exserted, sharply inflexed towards gynostegium, glabrous;
style apex shallowly depressed, red-violet.
erect to spreading;
calyx lobes lanceolate, 2–3 mm, apex acute, pilose to tomentose;
corolla pale pink to red, lobes reflexed with spreading tips, oval, 5–6 mm, apex acute, glabrous;
gynostegium sessile;
fused anthers yellow to brown or green, broadly barrel-shaped, 1.5–2 mm, wings deltoid, widest at middle, closed, apical appendages ovate;
corona segments pinkish cream to cream, subsessile, conduplicate, dorsally rounded, spreading away from anthers, 2–3 mm, greatly exceeded by style apex, apex truncate, glabrous, internal appendage absent;
style apex shallowly depressed, cream to green.
oval to ovate, 6–7 × 4–6 mm, margin winged, faces papillate-tomentulose with dendritic scales;
coma 2–2.5 cm.
ovate, 6–8 × 5–6 mm, margin very narrowly winged, faces rugulose;
coma 2–2.5 cm.
erect on upcurved pedicels, lance-ovoid, 5–7 × 1.2–1.8 cm, apex acuminate, shallowly ribbed, conspicuously striate, tomentulose.
erect on upcurved pedicels (at least until maturity), lance-ovoid, 6–10 × 2–3 cm, apex obtuse to acuminate, longitudinally ridged, pilosulose or tomentulose to glabrate.
Asclepias brachystephana
Asclepias solanoana
Asclepias brachystephana is a blue-gray, bushy herb with ascending foliage, few-flowered umbels of small, red and white flowers, and conspicuously striped follicles. It is unlike any other milkweed. Nonetheless, herbarium specimens are commonly confused with those of A. asperula because the herbage of A. brachystephana turns green on drying, and the leaves of A. asperula subsp. asperula are often of similar size and shape. However, leaf arrangement in A. asperula is alternate rather than opposite. The flowers of A. brachystephana are remarkably similar to, and convergent with, those of A. cutleri, A. eastwoodiana, A. ruthiae, A. sanjuanensis, and A. uncialis (M. Fishbein et al. 2011). In Arizona, A. brachystephana is restricted to the portion of the southeastern corner of the state with Chihuahuan floristic affinities, in Cochise, Graham, Pima, and Santa Cruz counties.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Asclepias solanoana is a delightful and unique milkweed that is endemic to rugged, serpentine barrens in the northern Coast Range of California. The plants hug the ground, the stems seeming to crawl outward propelled by the highly unusual metallic, grayish or bluish green, ovate leaves. Bright pinkish rose balls of floral buds are held above, and are followed by variegated spheres of cream, pink, green, and brown flowers with a vague resemblance to heads of Abronia (Nyctaginaceae). It is often the only conspicuous plant species on highly exposed, south-facing slopes. S. P. Lynch (1977) documented Hymenoptera (carpenter bees, Xylocopa, bumblebees, Bombus, and honeybees, Apis) to be the main pollinators of A. solanoana. It is considered threatened by extractive industries and recreation at some sites. A naturally occurring population has been reported from southern Oregon and needs confirmation.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
CA
OR
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
