Asclepias longifolia
Asclepias variegata
Florida milkweed, long-leaf milkweed
asclépiade panachée, red-ringed milkweed, redring milkweed, white milkweed
1–few, spreading to decumbent, unbranched, 25–70 cm, puberulent with curved trichomes, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.
1–few, erect, unbranched, 30–120 cm, puberulent with curved trichomes, sometimes in a single line, sometimes 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, petiolate, with 1 or 2 stipular colleters on each side of petiole;
petiole 10–25 mm, puberulent with curved trichomes;
blade oval to ovate, obovate, lanceolate, or oblanceolate, 6–15 × 3–9 cm, subcoriaceous, base cuneate to obtuse or subtruncate, margins sometimes crisped, apex rounded to obtuse, apiculate or mucronate, venation eucamptodromous to faintly brochidodromous, surfaces puberulent on veins with curved trichomes, sometimes glaucous, margins ciliate, 8–12 laminar colleters.
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, branched, also usually extra-axillary at 1 distal node, pedunculate, 11–28-flowered;
peduncle 1–7 cm, densely puberulent with curved trichomes, with 1 caducous bract at the base of each pedicel.
9–16 mm, puberulent with curved trichomes.
12–20 mm, densely puberulent with curved trichomes.
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 spreading;
calyx lobes lanceolate, 2–3 mm, apex acute, pilosulous;
corolla white, red-violet in throat, lobes reflexed with spreading tips, elliptic, 6–8 mm, apex acute, glabrous abaxially, minutely papillose at base adaxially;
gynostegial column red-violet, 1–2 mm;
fused anthers brown, truncately obconic, 1.5–2 mm, wings right-triangular, rounded, closed, apical appendages ovate;
corona segments white, stipitate, conduplicate with a lateral flange on each side, 2.5–4 mm, exceeding style apex, apex truncate, glabrous, internal appendage falcate, exserted, sharply inflexed over style apex, glabrous;
style apex shallowly depressed, white.
ovate, 11–12 × 7–8 mm, margin winged, faces smooth;
coma 4–5 cm.
ovate, 5–7 × 3–5 mm, margin winged, faces rugulose;
coma 2.5–4 cm.
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, narrowly fusiform, 10–15 × 1.5–2 cm, apex long-acuminate, smooth, pilosulous.
Asclepias longifolia
Asclepias variegata
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.)
Asclepias variegata and the following species (A. exaltata, A. purpurascens, and A. quadrifolia) inhabit deciduous forest understories in eastern North America and often co-occur. Asclepias variegata has showy, snowball-like spheres of bright white flowers. On closer examination, the staminal column of each flower is colored reddish purple, forming a neat belt between the corona and corolla. Non-flowering specimens have been confused with A. purpurascens. The leaves of A. variegata have a thicker texture, and the blade apices are broader and more rounded than in A. purpurascens. Asclepias variegata has suffered serious declines at the northeastern margin of its range and is reported to have been extirpated from Ontario and Connecticut. In addition, it is considered to be of conservation concern in Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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