Asclepias longifolia
Asclepias scaposa
Florida milkweed, long-leaf milkweed
bear mountain milkweed
1–few, spreading to decumbent, unbranched, 25–70 cm, puberulent with curved trichomes, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.
1–5+, erect, unbranched (rarely at base), 15–20 cm, pilosulous, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.
opposite or alternate, sessile or petiolate, with 1 or 2 stipular colleters on each side of petiole, also in axil;
petiole 0–2 mm, puberulent with curved trichomes;
blade linear to linear-lanceolate, 5–18 × 0.2–1 cm, chartaceous, base cuneate, margins entire, apex acute to attenuate, sometimes mucronate, venation brochidodromous, surfaces scabridulous to puberulent with curved trichomes, especially on veins, margins ciliate, laminar colleters absent.
opposite, sessile or petiolate, with 1 stipular colleter on each side of petiole;
petiole 0–6 mm, pilosulous to glabrate;
blade oval to elliptic, 6–8 × 1.5–2.5 cm, membranous, base cuneate, margins crisped, apex obtuse to acute, venation eucamptodromous, surfaces sparsely hirtellous, margins ciliate, laminar colleters absent.
terminal and extra-axillary at upper nodes, sessile or pedunculate, 13–28(–36)-flowered;
peduncle 0–6 cm, puberulent with curved trichomes, with 1 caducous bract at the base of each pedicel.
terminal, solitary, pedunculate, 15–30-flowered;
peduncle 7–17 cm, pilose, bracts absent or few.
9–16 mm, puberulent with curved trichomes.
15–20 mm, pilose.
erect to spreading;
calyx lobes narrowly lanceolate, 1.5–2 mm, apex acute, puberulent with curved trichomes;
corolla white to greenish cream, purple at lobe tips, lobes reflexed, oblong, 3–5 mm, apex obtuse, glabrous;
gynostegial column 0.2–0.5 mm;
fused anthers green or brown, cylindric, 1–1.5 mm, wings triangular to trapezoidal, widest at middle, slightly open at tip, apical appendages ovate;
corona segments pinkish lavender to red-violet, often with white apex, often a darker red-violet stripe or at base, sessile, laminar, strongly dorsally compressed, margins incurved, appressed to column, curved to subsaccate, 2–2.5 mm, exceeding point of anther wings, greatly exceeded by style apex, apex obtuse to truncate, glabrous, internal appendage absent or obscure, glabrous;
style apex shallowly depressed, greenish cream to green.
erect to pendent;
calyx lobes narrowly lanceolate, 2–2.5 mm, apex acute, pilose;
corolla green with purplish tinge (reddish purple), lobes reflexed, elliptic, 4–5 mm, apex acute, glabrous;
gynostegial column 0.5–1 mm;
fused anthers brown, cylindric, 1.5–2 mm, wings curved, wider at base, apical appendages ovate;
corona segments cream, sometimes yellow- or red-tinged or yellow or red at base, sessile, tubular, 2–3 mm, exceeding style apex, base saccate, apex truncate, dentate, glabrous, internal appendage falcate, exserted, arching above style apex, glabrous;
style apex shallowly depressed, green or cream.
ovate, 11–12 × 7–8 mm, margin winged, faces smooth;
coma 4–5 cm.
not seen.
erect on upcurved pedicels, narrowly fusiform, 8–13.5 × 0.7–1.2 cm, apex attenuate, smooth, puberulent with curved trichomes.
erect on upcurved pedicels, fusiform, 5–6 × 1–1.5 cm, apex long-acuminate, smooth, pilosulous.
Asclepias longifolia
Asclepias scaposa
Asclepias longifolia has sometimes been treated to include A. hirtella as conspecific, as discussed under that species. As circumscribed here, the distribution of A. longifolia extends along the Atlantic Coastal Plain south of Delaware to Florida and westward to the Mississppi River. Reports of A. longifolia from west of the Mississippi River in Louisiana and in Texas are assigned here to A. hirtella. Hence, the range of A. longifolia in Louisiana is extremely limited, and the conservation status of this species warrants assessment in that state (Livingston, Saint Helena, Saint Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington parishes). Reports of A. longifolia from Maryland and West Virginia have not been confirmed, and the species is considered extirpated from Delaware. Otherwise, it is rare at the northern extent of its range and considered to be of conservation concern in North Carolina and Virginia (Greensville and Prince George counties).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The long-pedunculate, terminal inflorescence combined with short stature is distinctive in Asclepias scaposa. Although the locality of one of the syntypes was attributed to New Mexico by E. L. Greene, that is the only report for that state. Both syntypes were collected by Charles Wright for the United States-Mexico boundary survey, but neither of his labels indicates that they were collected in New Mexico. It is very likely that both collections were made in Texas or northeastern Mexico, and New Mexico is excluded from the distribution here. The common name Bear Mountain milkweed may refer to a ridge in the northwestern portion of the Davis Mountains, although no collections are known from this area. The few collections and observations that have been made in Texas are from scattered locations in Brewster, Crockett, Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, and Terrell counties, and conservation status in the United States merits assessment. In Mexico, A. scaposa also has been rarely collected, except for a local area in Nuevo León (Municipio de Galeana).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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