Asclepias linaria
Asclepias obovata
hierba del cuervo, needle leaf milkweed, pineneedle milkweed
pineland milkweed
few–numerous, erect, branched, especially distally, 30–70 cm, woody, bark brown to gray, twigs puberulent with curved trichomes, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.
1 (rarely more), erect to spreading, unbranched, 40–70(–200) cm, densely hirtellous to velutinous, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.
eventually caducous, alternate, spiral to irregular, sessile, with 1 stipular colleter on each side of leaf base;
blade linear, needlelike, 1.5–4 × 0.1–0.15 cm, chartaceous, base cuneate, margins revolute, apex acute, mucronate, venation obscure, sparsely pilosulous to glabrate, laminar colleters absent.
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.
extra-axillary, sessile or pedunculate, 9–30-flowered;
peduncle 0–2.5 cm, puberulent with curved trichomes to pilosulous, with 1 caducous bract at the base of each pedicel.
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.
10–14 mm, pilosulous.
10–12 mm, densely hirtellous to velutinous.
erect to pendent;
calyx lobes lanceolate to ovate, 2–3 mm, apex acute, sparsely pilosulous to glabrate;
corolla green to cream, often tinged red or purple, lobes reflexed with spreading tips, elliptic, 3.5–5 mm, apex acute, glabrous abaxially, minutely hirtellous at base adaxially, 1 margin ciliate;
gynostegial column 0.2–0.5 mm;
fused anthers brown, obconic, 1–1.5 mm, wings right-triangular, closed, apical appendages ovate, erose;
corona segments cream, sometimes with greenish or purplish dorsal stripe, subsessile or sessile, cupulate, 2.5–3 mm, exceeding style apex, apex obtuse to rounded, glabrous, internal appendage rod-shaped, slightly exserted, glabrous;
style apex shallowly depressed, green.
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.
naviculate, ovate, 5–6 × 3–4 mm, margin very narrowly winged, faces rugulose, the concave one conspicuously so;
coma 1.5–2 cm.
broadly ovate, 8–9 × 6–7 mm, margin winged, faces smooth;
coma 2–5 cm.
erect on upcurved pedicels, ovoid, 3.5–5 × 0.6–1 cm, apex acuminate, smooth, glabrous.
erect on upcurved pedicels, narrowly to broadly fusiform, 7.5–12.5 × 1.5–2.5 cm, apex acuminate, smooth, densely hirtellous to velutinous.
= 22.
Asclepias linaria
Asclepias obovata
Asclepias linaria is arguably the most distinctive milkweed species in the Americas. It is the only species with woody stems and the only one to form hemispherical shrubs with needlelike leaves. Small plants with few stems are easily mistaken for seedling conifers. This species is widespread and occupies a great variety of habitats in Mexico. It enters the flora area in southeastern Arizona and in southwestern New Mexico only in the Peloncillo Mountains (Hidalgo County); its occurrence in the flora area is evidently relictual. In the region, it is restricted to lower reaches of protected canyons that ameliorate aridity and freezing temperatures, sites that harbor other tropical and subtropical species reaching their northern limits. The plants are often quite floriferous and attract an abundance of Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Diptera.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
LA Plants
